The Adventures of Harry and Harley
by LeahHeartsSirius
Summary: Sirius' daughter fic. Harley and Harry meet in primary school and become inseparable. The story follows their Hogwarts years through meeting her father and then the Horcrux hunt.  Eventual time travel.  HP&OC Please read & review!  Thanks!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I've had this idea running through my mind, and I decided to go ahead and write it out. I enjoy stories where Sirius has a daughter, and this is along that vein. It's going to involve time travel at some point. I don't really want to give anything away, but I know some people don't like time travel fics, so I wanted to go ahead and throw that out there. Just from these details alone, you should already know that the story won't be canon. It is going to follow the general plot of the original series, but there will be different details with the addition of my OC. Harry will be paired with Sirius' daughter in this fic. I'm open to suggestions on any other pairs. **

**Thanks for reading; I hope you all enjoy the story! I'll love you forever if you leave a review! :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything in the Harry Potter universe.**

Chapter One:

Harley Smith had lived in St. Anthony's Orphanage as long as she could remember. The stewards who ran the orphanage didn't know anything about her family, or where she came from. They estimated that she was about eighteen months old when she was dropped off at a hospital in London with nothing but the clothes she was wearing and a bracelet inscribed with the name _Harley_. Child Services placed her in an orphanage in Surrey as it was the closest facility able to take a child her age. The head administrator added the surname Smith.

She was a beautiful child, with striking grey eyes and long black hair. Her little face could put any angel to shame. She'd been adopted many times, but was returned within a few weeks in each instance. The adopters always claimed that weird things happened around her and that she made them uneasy. The stewards had seen such occurrences when the child first arrived, so they knew the couples weren't making up stories. They decided to deem her ineligible for adoption after the seventh time she was returned. Nothing ever seemed to stick, and the strange outbursts seemed to get worse every time a new couple took her home.

The truth was, little Harley Smith was a witch. Neither she nor her caretakers knew this, of course. She was adopted for the first time about two months after her arrival. A young couple saw the lonely little angel playing with a doll in the corner and instantly decided that she was the child for them. Harley, however, was scared and nervous. She'd been taken from the only life she ever knew and tossed into an entirely new environment. This uneasiness caused the magic inside her little body to flare up more often than a magical child with a steady upbringing. The adoption exacerbated her anxiety as she was just getting accustomed to her new living situation when she was again removed to a new home.

The young inexperienced couple didn't know how to deal with these strange happenings in addition to the more commonplace child rearing issues, and immediately regretted their decision to adopt. They tried to make it work for a few weeks, but little Harley could sense their disquiet, which added to her own. This created a vicious cycle of more accidental magic which led to more parental angst, which then contributed to an increase of accidental magic, and on it went.

Needless to say, Harley Smith was back at the orphanage within a month. She continued cycling through homes for the next three years. Every couple who adopted the child was warned of the previous failures, but each wanted to be the one that worked out for the innocent little thing. The trouble was, the rejection of seven different sets of parents, in addition to life in an orphanage, ensured that little Harley Smith was anything but innocent. She was jaded and wary, especially of adults. Nothing they ever said could be relied upon, and she decided at a very young age that she simply couldn't trust authority figures.

Another unfortunate side effect of being shuffled from home to home was the inability to make true friends at the orphanage. Most children that had lived in the home long term held a grudge against Harley for being chosen seven times. Most people wanted a child under the age of two, but she continued to be chosen until they stopped showing her to potential parents. Every time she was returned and then chosen again the other children's bitterness towards her grew. Because of this she was an outsider, never allowed to join in any reindeer games.

Not all the children were satisfied with this punishment, however. Some of the more vindictive little shits also liked to push her around and steal what little portions the orphanage provided. The orphanage itself didn't starve their wards by any stretch, but budgets were always tight, so there was never any excess. Always just enough to remain healthy. With Harley's portions bullied away, the young girl often went to bed on an empty stomach.

All of these factors shaped the five-year-old Harley Smith that could be found standing in front of the mirror in the girl's bathroom, mentally preparing for her first day of primary school. She knew she was tough and that she could take care of herself, but she was desperately hoping to find a friend at school. Just one friend. One person she could trust, that she could turn to when she needed some comfort. The closest she'd ever had was Melanie, but she was more like a mentor.

Melanie was fifteen when Harley first arrived at the orphanage. She was never very friendly, but she'd give advice, and teach Harley how to take care of herself. Over the course of their time together Melanie taught Harley how to pick a lock and a pocket, as well as basic self-defense. The idea of theft didn't sit well with the young girl, but sometimes her stomach was just so hungry. She'd taken to lifting money from mums at the playground before sneaking off to the convenience store across the street. She'd then buy food she could stuff in her clothes before hiding it in her room at the home. That way she'd have a back-up if the other kids decided to take her dinner.

Melanie was gone, though. She'd left as soon as she turned eighteen. Now Harley was completely alone at the orphanage and nervous for her first day of school. She wasn't so much nervous about the curriculum. Being a lonely child gave her few choices in leisure activities, so she read quite a bit. She'd also always picked up things fairly easily, so she thought she'd do well in class. She was wary of the idea of a teacher, as well as the interactions with the other children.

Harley was a brave little girl, however, so after her mental preparations she raised her chin and returned to her room to grab her school bag. The school was only a few blocks from the orphanage, and Little Whinging was peaceful town, so the children walked to school every day.

She quickly made it to the school and found her classroom. There was only one other child from the orphanage in her grade, but he wasn't in her class. She was grateful for this small favor, for he was a nasty little boy. Scanning the room, she noted that the desks were grouped in blocks of four. Seeing no seating chart, Harley quickly walked to the back of the classroom, deciding on the group of desks farthest from the teacher's.

Slowly the room filled as children trickled in with their parents. Her eyes rolled to the ceiling as she watched some of the little brats whine and carry on simply because their parents were leaving them. Honestly, she thought, what is wrong with those kids? They'll get to see their precious mummies in just a few hours. There was one boy who was especially loud. He was rather large and round for a five-year-old. His mother was a tall, thin horse-faced woman. She was cooing at the boy while stroking his blonde hair in an attempt to calm him.

Harley was watching the display with disgust when she noticed a small boy with a shock of messy black hair, glasses and raggedy old clothes more suited for the large blonde boy's frame. His head was bowed, but she could see him lift his eyes to survey the room. He noted the teacher's desk and then his eyes travelled to the group of desks farthest away. He quickly side-stepped the blubbering mother and son, making his way over to where she was sitting.

He took the desk across from Harley, as it was the second farthest from the teacher's desk. His eyes never strayed to her, instead stared fixedly at the desk in front of him. This gave her a chance to study him. He seemed small for his age, like her. He also had that weary look of a kid who'd had experiences no child should have to endure. That was something Harley understood all too well.

She was brought out of her musings when he quickly raised his eyes to hers. It startled her a bit as she'd been blatantly staring at the boy and had been caught quite spectacularly. She quickly turned away, embarrassed, and watched the rest of the students pick their desks.

Finally the bell rang and the teacher subtly began to corral the remaining parents out the door. The woman then introduced herself as Mrs. Phillips before telling the class a bit about herself and her family. She then began to call roll, eventually calling the name Harry Potter. The name struck something buried deep in Harley's subconscious. It seemed so familiar, but the more she tried to recall any memories associated with it the further away they seemed. She looked around the room, but no one responded to the name and the teacher was looking over at their group.

Mrs. Phillips approached their table, calling out the name again with distinct annoyance in her voice. "I said Harry Potter." She was right on top of the black haired boy now. "You need to say 'Present' when I call your name, boy."

The messy haired boy's head shot up when he was addressed as "boy". Harley found this to be a very odd reaction. Why would he answer to "boy" but not as Harry? Furthermore, he looked up at the teacher with a confused expression.

Mrs. Phillips lips thinned as she glared at the small boy and Harley immediately took a dislike to her new teacher. "Mr. Potter, you will say 'Present' when I call your name. Do. You. Understand?"

She said the words slowly, as if Harry was stupid, and the chubby, blond headed ponce (who had cried for his mummy for a good ten minutes) started snickering. Harry looked up at Mrs. Phillips with fearful eyes that made Harley's heart melt for the boy. He looked so small and vulnerable in those baggy clothes. Harley may have only been five years old, but she'd been forced to grow up quickly. She understood that this woman, who was supposed to be their support, was now making a target out of a scared five year old boy. She may not have been doing it intentionally, but her intentions didn't change playground politics. Harley just chalked it up to another adult that couldn't be trusted and eyed her new teacher with disdain.

Harry slowly nodded his head and the teacher called his name again, agitation plain in her voice. "Let's try this again. Har-ry Pot-ter." She spoke each syllable of his name distinctly.

The soft "Present" was so quiet Harley almost couldn't hear it. She narrowed her eyes dangerously at the so called teacher. _Why do all adults have to be so awful? Have they completely forgotten what it's like to be a kid? I'll never forget._

The teacher finally made it down to Harley Smith. "Here!" Harley called forcefully. The teacher raised an unimpressed eyebrow.

"You will say 'Present' Miss Smith. Thanks to Mr. Potter I believe we have been over this quite thoroughly." Harley didn't respond, which resulted in an intense staring match between the little girl and grown woman. After a few moments of staring down the determined child, the woman sighed exasperatedly and moved onto the next name. Harley smirked triumphantly at her small victory and vowed in that moment that Mrs. Phillips would _never_ hear the word 'present' pass her lips. Even if she was forced to read The Christmas Story aloud to the class, she wouldn't say the word. The ghosts would henceforth be known as the ghosts of Christmas past, here and future.

Harley was still reveling in her triumph when she noticed Harry's eyes trained on her from below the fringe of his hair. She smiled and winked at the boy, causing him to hastily lower his eyes and keep his attention firmly away from her the rest of the class.

Any attempt to speak to Harry throughout lunch and recess were firmly ignored. It seemed the boy wasn't looking for a friend, which severely disappointed the young girl. All the other kids ignored her, often times making fun of her status as an orphan. It didn't bring her down, though. It's hard to rub the absence of parents in the face of a child who's never been exposed to a real family. She was far too used to living in a group home to realize just how cruel their taunts were. It's all she'd ever known, and the brief encounters she'd had with "parents" left her wanting nothing more than to return to the orphanage.

Harry understood, though. He knew that this strange girl, who was the only person to ever be nice to him, was having the worst sort of insults thrown at her on a daily basis. He couldn't understand why they didn't seem to bother her. His aunt and uncle had been throwing their relationship with his cousin in Harry's face as far back as he could remember. They always told him he was nothing but a worthless freak with drunks for parents. He wasn't worthy of being a part of their family, so he was relegated to the cupboard under the stairs, and told he should feel lucky that they allow him any place at all. He had to do many chores in order to earn his place in the cupboard. "If you want to live here, you'll work, boy!" his uncle would scream at him.

Boy. Freak. Those were his names until he started school. He'd never known his name was Harry Potter. He'd never known he had a name at all. He'd desperately wished that one day a long lost family member would show up at his uncle's house and tell him it was all just a big mistake. That he didn't belong with the Dursley's. He belonged somewhere else, with a family that was all his own. That day never came, of course. He was forced to watch his aunt and uncle fawn all over his cousin, spoiling him rotten. And rotten he was. To the core.

Dudley's favorite past time was pounding his small cousin to a pulp. "Harry Hunting" he called it. At least now he knew why. It had always confused him since he didn't know his own name. The poudings weren't so bad at first. It had gradually gotten worse starting at age three. Dudley was aggressive and his parents only encouraged this behavior. As Dudley was steadily growing in size while Harry remained small, he knew it would only get more intense as they grew older. He also knew that if he ever found a friend at school he'd only be giving Dudley another target on which to practice. Dudley told him so, in fact.

"Ready to start school, freak? No one is going to want to talk to you, you know? You won't have any friends. If anyone does want to be your friend, I'll know they're a freak too. It will give me a new person to hunt!" He'd finished his taunts with a look of malicious glee on his pudgy face that made Harry's stomach turn. He knew he wouldn't be able to make any friends at school.

That was why Harry ignored the girl who'd stood up to his teacher for him. She'd tried to speak to him multiple times, but he refused to respond. The girl was even smaller than him. If he was to talk to her Dudley would hurt her; he wouldn't spare her because she's a girl. He couldn't stand it if someone was hurt because of him, especially the small black haired orphan who sat across from him at school. He didn't know why, but he felt particularly protective of the girl. It was…instinctual.

It had been two weeks since school started, and Harley still tried to speak to Harry every day, hoping that one day he'd finally speak back. She was walking around the school grounds during recess when she noticed him sitting alone on the curb. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the class bully Dudley, along with his mean little gang. They were all approaching Harry with a nasty glint in their eyes.

Harley started making her way over as well. Harry was a very shy boy. He didn't say much (and never to her), but Harley could see what kind of person he was, and she liked what she saw. She also felt a protectiveness over him that she couldn't quite explain. She'd never made a conscious decision to feel that way, it was just there.

She was a few dozen meters away when Harry realized Dudley's gang was a few feet behind him. Harley could see his entire body tense while he quickly rolled into a ball on the ground. The boys surrounded him, laughing. "What a good little punching bag you are, freak. Rolled up in a ball so nicely for us to practice," Dudley taunted.

The words enraged Harley beyond anything she'd ever felt in her young life. All of those boys were much larger than Harry, and they were going to beat him up even though he was making no attempt to fight back.

She ran to Harry as quickly as her little legs would take her. The no good bullies were still taunting him, but were moving in to throw their first punches. Harley quickly darted between them and stood over Harry's prone form. "Stay back or I'll turn you into a toad!"

She had absolutely no idea where that threat came from. It just sort of slipped out of her mouth. The boys stopped moving forward, but burst out laughing. "That's rich; you must be a freak too. You'll be helpful, though, as you look like you'll fight back. We need practice on a moving target as well."

All of Dudley's friends laughed, but Harley felt something powerful stirring inside. She'd had this feeling many times before, each instance ending in some strange, unexplainable occurrence. Suddenly the boys stopped laughing as they were all thrown back several feet, landing on their bums.

They stared at Harley in a shocked stupor that was quickly turning to anger. She looked down at Harry who had sat up and was staring at her in wonder. She reached down, hooked her hand under his armpit and hauled him to his feet. The bigger boys were slowly rising to their feet as well and both Harry and Harley knew they needed to be somewhere Dudley's gang wasn't, and quickly.

Harry grabbed Harley's hand and started running. It was the only way he'd ever been able to avoid his cousin's fists. He led her around the school where they hid behind a dumpster. They were both trying to catch their breath as quietly as possible while listening for any approaching footsteps.

When Harry finally felt like they were safe for the moment he turned to Harley with a grave expression. "You shouldn't have done that," he said quietly. "My cousin and his gang will always be after you now. He told me he'd never let me have any friends at school." Harry quickly realized what he'd intimated and started to stammer nervously. "Not that I think you'd ever want to be friends with a freak like me…It's just that now they'll think you are." He blushed crimson and averted his eyes to his lap.

Harley was still caught up on the first part of his speech. He said that his cousin's gang would be after her. His _cousin_. He's related to that blond blubbering bully? "Cousin? Dudley is your cousin?"

Harry was surprised that she was more concerned about his relation to Dudley than she was about him thinking she might be his friend. He'd been told he was worthless all this life, so he thought she'd be upset at his slip. "Erm…yeah. My mother was his mother's sister."

"Oh." This was all she said for about thirty seconds, which caused Harry to fidget. He was still mentally kicking himself for implying that she'd want to be friends with the likes of him. He was surprised by her next words. "I can't believe he treats his own cousin like that. What a prat! And I don't have any friends, either, Harry, and you are _not_ a freak. I'd love to be your friend."

She smiled warmly at him and he felt his stomach do a little flip. Someone wanted to be his friend? He didn't understand at all, especially since she was risking Dudley's wrath. He looked back at her unsurely. "Are you sure? Dudley will be really mean to you."

Harley looked down sadly. Maybe he didn't want to be friends with her. "He was never exactly nice to me before. I figure he'll be a lot worse after what just happened, anyway. I understand if you don't want to be my friend, though."

Harry's eyebrows shot up, surprised, and he quickly backtracked. "No! It's not that I don't want to be your friend! I do! You're the only person who has ever been nice to me or stood up for me. I just don't want you to get hurt because of me."

Harley raised her head and their eyes met. Her face broke out into a happy smile. "I can take care of myself, Harry. So, friends?"

His smile mirrored hers at the reality of having his very own friend. "Friends!" She quickly leaned in and gave him a quick hug. She didn't know at the time that it was the very first one he could ever remember receiving. He didn't know that the only hugs she'd ever received were from "parents" who eventually rejected her, something he never intended to do again.

A/N:

**So I named Sirius' daughter Harley. I didn't do this purposefully to make their names so similar. I am just horrible at deciding on names and always end up defaulting on family members. My sister's name is Harley and I thought it would be the perfect name for Sirius' daughter. I mean, he'd want to name her something that would go against his family, so what better than the brand of a muggle motorbike? Anyways, that was my logic.**

**Next chapter will include the time between now until they go to Hogwarts. I hope you enjoyed this introduction chapter. Please review and let me know what you think! Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two:

Harry and Harley were both thrilled to have finally made a friend, and were inseparable at school. They both enjoyed having someone to talk to; someone they knew wouldn't judge them. They spent most of their time during recess hiding from Dudley's gang. Harry also walked his friend to the orphanage every day as it was on his way home. These activities gave them plenty of time to get to know each other. The pair soon realized their lives had many similarities, and bonded quickly.

Harry told Harley about life at his aunt and uncle's. He told her how they called him names and only let him out of his cupboard to do chores. They'd add more every year on his birthday. He'd turned five about a month before school started, and they'd given him pruning shears, telling him he'd now be in charge of maintaining the garden.

"What do you mean, 'your cupboard', Harry?" Harley asked.

"Oh, my room is the cupboard under the stairs. It's where I sleep."

Harley was horrified that her new best friend was forced to live in a cupboard. She usually had to share a room with another girl, but at least she had a room. Harley didn't know if she had any living family, but she was suddenly glad that she didn't have any aunts or uncles willing to take her in.

"That's awful, Harry! I'm an orphan and I have an actual room! And they give you more chores for your birthday? I can hardly believe it!"

Harry's head dropped in shame as his cheeks filled with color. Harley reached out and entwined his hand in both of hers. "You shouldn't feel ashamed, Harry. It's those horrible people you live with that should be ashamed. They're not your family, you know. Not really. I don't know much about families, but I do know they don't treat each other that way. I don't have any family either, so you shouldn't feel embarrassed about that with me. I have a friend, though. He's the best friend in the whole world! His name is Harry Potter." She grinned cheekily at him and he gifted her with a small smile.

"I didn't even know my own name until Mrs. Phillips called it during roll. That's why I didn't answer. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia always just call me boy, or freak." He revealed quietly.

Harley had enough sense not to react so strongly to this revelation. She didn't want Harry to think that she thought less of him. "I still don't know my name, Harry. The name Smith was given to me by the administrator at the orphanage. I had a bracelet with the name Harley on it when I was abandoned at a hospital. I doubt I'll ever know my real name."

Harry raised his head to look her in the eyes. He could see the sadness she tried to cover up with false bravado and nonchalance. He didn't know how to comfort someone, and was very wary of physical contact. The only variety to which he'd been exposed had been painful, after all. His new friend looked so sad, though, and he wanted do make her feel better. She'd hugged him the day they became friends, so he thought she might like it if he gave her a hug.

Tentatively he leaned into the girl at his side and wrapped his arms around her small frame. The hug was brief, but both felt better afterward. Harley, because her new friend had provided comfort when he knew she was in distress. Harry, because he seemed to have cheered up his friend.

The pair continued on this way through much of their first year at school. They'd managed to avoid Dudley's gang for the most part. There was just one time when they'd thought for sure they were trapped. They'd both backed themselves flush against the brick building, fervently hoping they'd be overlooked. Miraculously this plan worked, much to their relief. Of course neither of them had realized that Harley's accidental magic had made them invisible.

Mrs. Phillips pretty much ignored them most of the time, so they didn't have any more run-ins with her after Harley's staring match at the beginning of the year.

Harley's birthday was recognized as May 2nd. No one knew exactly when she was born, so the doctors had estimated her age based on size, weight and cognitive abilities. She was left in the hospital on November 2nd, and they'd thought she was roughly 18 months old, so they simply designated her birthday to be exactly 18 months before that date.

On May 2nd Harry showed up to school with a card that he'd secretly made for his only friend. It was made out of construction paper and crayons. It became Harley's most prized possession the moment she saw it. Unlike Harry, she'd been given a couple of birthday presents before. They never meant anything to her, though. They'd been given to her by some of the couples she'd been with before they rejected her. This card meant everything, though. Harry didn't have much, but he used some of the few things he _did_ have to make her a gift.

She'd taught him how to smuggle things home and helped him think of places to hide them in his cupboard. His Uncle Vernon never really searched it, but if something was in plain sight he might be caught. She also taught him lock and pocket picking. He'd practice pick-pocketing her, but they both decided Harry should only try to lift something if he were in dire straits. If they were to ever be caught she'd get off much lighter at the orphanage than he would at his uncle's. Plus Harley was a talented little thief. She only took enough for necessities, but there was no denying her skill.

By Christmas they'd lifted enough money to give him his own small food stores. He wouldn't be going hungry this Christmas. The pair had also stocked his cupboard with some art supplies and children's books they'd taken from the school to keep him entertained while locked in the cupboard. It was harder to smuggle supplies from school, as the teachers would notice if too much was missing. This was why Harley was so very touched by Harry's card. He didn't have an overabundance of supplies at home, but he'd deemed her important enough to dig into his stock.

That first summer was the hardest. The Dursleys wouldn't allow Harry out to play. The only time he was allowed to venture out of the cupboard was when he was working on chores, and the Dursleys always kept him locked up if no one was home. She couldn't even try to sneak over to see him while he was working in the garden as his horse-faced aunt was constantly monitoring him through the windows.

The separation was very painful for the both of them, and they desperately missed each other. Finally, on Harry's birthday, Harley decided on a plan of action. There was no way she was letting another birthday pass for Harry without acknowledgement.

Like Harry, Harley handmade a card for her friend. She also sneaked away from the group at the playground the day before his birthday. There was a bakery a block away, and she managed to buy Harry a small cupcake which she was able to hide in the small bag she'd taken to carrying. She didn't really need a purse, nor did she particularly enjoy hauling it around everywhere, but she knew she'd need it on this day. She didn't want anything to stand out and give her guardians a reason to check the bag. Her plan worked. No one gave her a second glance when she returned from the bakery.

That night, dressed in black, she climbed through her window while thanking her lucky stars that she hadn't been given a new roommate after her old one was claimed by her aunt. Sticking to the shadows, Harley quietly made her way over to Privet Drive. It was around 11:45 at night. The whole street was completely quiet and there wasn't a single light on at Number Four.

She stealthily moved around the house to the back door, glancing through all the windows to make sure the bottom floor was deserted. When she reached the back door she fell to one knee and began to pick the lock with a hairpin. Once the door was open, she tiptoed to the stairs and found the cupboard. It had a slide lock on the outside so they could easily keep him inside.

She'd glanced at the microwave clock on her way past the kitchen and saw that it was just after midnight, and officially Harry Potter's sixth birthday. Slowly sliding the lock free, Harley opened the door to reveal her friend asleep on a cot inside the small space.

After listening for a few moments to ensure there was no movement in the house, Harley slid into the closet and silently pulled the door closed. She then proceeded to pull the cupcake, card and a flashlight out of her bag. Sitting on the edge of the cot with a cupcake in one hand and the card in the other Harley set the lit flashlight to the side and gently shook her friend awake.

It took him a few moments, but he eventually blinked his eyes open. He shot up very quickly when he realized there was another person in his cupboard, but recognition quickly dawned.

"Happy Birthday Harry!" Harley whispered, presenting his cupcake and card.

The biggest smile she'd ever seen took over Harry's face and he immediately pulled her in for a hug. "Harley!" he whispered, "I can't believe you're here! I've missed you so much!"

Harley nodded into his shoulder. "I've missed you too, Harry! So much!"

They pulled back, each smiling happily. Harry then took the proffered gifts with more solemnity than a six year old should be capable. It was his first ever gift, his first ever card, and his friend had committed B&E to give it to him.

After reading the card Harry tried to share the cupcake with Harley, but she refused. "It's yours, Harry. I want you to have it. I also brought some other small things to replenish your stores."

Harry nodded begrudgingly, but moaned when he bit into the cake. He'd never had anything like it. The pair then proceeded to hide the muffins and other goodies in the small space within the cupboard. The best spot was the six inch gap between the back wall of the cupboard and the small bookshelf that held his clothes.

The pair then spent about an hour chatting and catching up. They didn't talk about anything in particular, they just wanted to enjoy the few moments they were able to spend together. Both knew the midnight visit was very risky, and wouldn't be tried again…this summer. They wouldn't see each other again until school started back.

Leaving Harry in the cupboard was the hardest thing Harley had ever done in her short life. It wasn't just the fact that she wouldn't see him for the next month, although that was certainly a factor. The main issue she had was locking her friend inside the small cupboard before she left. It had to be done, though. If the door was unlocked in the morning the Dursleys would know something happened. They might even decide to search the cupboard. It was with a heavy heart that Harley slid the lock back in place and made her way back to the orphanage.

When school started back that year there had never been two children in history that were more excited to return. Harley arrived before Harry again this year and found a seat in the back of the classroom. Her eyes never left the door as she prayed to any deity listening that she and Harry would be in the same class again this year.

It seemed someone was listening to her pleas, because five minutes before school was set to start a familiar boy with unruly black hair walked through the door. His eyes first found the teacher's desk and then went to the group of desks farthest away with a hopeful look on his small face. When he saw Harley beaming at him his face lit up and he quickly navigated through the room to the desk she'd saved in hopes they'd be in the same class again.

There were no parents to escort out of the class this year, so the teacher was able to start introductions as soon as the bell rang. The attractive woman, who looked to be in her mid-twenties, was smiling warmly at her new students. "Hello class. I'm Ms. Murphy. This is my first year teaching, and I'm so happy to have you all in my class. I hope we will be able to have fun and learn a lot from each other. Now, I want for each of you to stand up and tell the class something about yourself. We're going to do this every day for the first week so we can get to know each other. Today I want you to tell us what makes you happier than anything else in the world. I'll go first." She cleared her throat theatrically causing some of the tension the students were feeling about standing up in front of the class to dissipate. "My name is Ms. Murphy and I'm most happy lying on the beach while reading a good book with my dog Max."

She had a student at the front of the class start. There were a lot of children saying things like their dogs, bikes, ice cream and football. When it was Harley's turn she stood and said, "My name is Harley Smith and my best friend, Harry Potter, makes me happier than anything else in the world."

Harley sat down and turned to Harry, who'd gone completely scarlet at Harley's declaration. He quickly stood and made the same pronouncement. "My name is Harry Potter and my best friend, Harley Smith, makes me happier than anything else in the world."

Harry was the last student, as Harley had saved him the spot farthest in the back. When he returned to his seat Harley smiled at him and squeezed his hand. Ms. Murphy smiled warmly at the two small children, but on the inside she was worried. She'd been told that both Harley Smith and Harry Potter were orphans, but that Mr. Potter lived with relatives.

The boy's cousin, Dudley, was also in her class, and had proclaimed that television made him happier than anything. The difference between the two boys was staggering. Not just that one valued television and the other valued his friend, but just in size and general appearance as well. Dudley was a rather large boy with new, stylish clothes while Harry was small. Almost too small for a boy his age. He looked even more so due to the fact that his clothes were so large. They were also very worn and she had a sneaking suspicion that they'd been his cousin's before they were his. Little Harry seemed almost cripplingly shy, only comfortable with Harley. Dudley, on the other hand, seemed to take over the class as soon as he'd entered the room. It was plain that the other students feared the large boy. She would have to keep an eye on this situation.

Over the next few days Ms. Murphy chose topics for the morning sharing sessions in an attempt to assess little Harry's situation. When she'd asked what their favorite food was, he'd said cupcakes while smiling brilliantly at his best friend. She'd also noticed that Dudley's head had sharply turned to his cousin with a look of surprise and suspicion, like Harry wasn't allowed to have cupcakes.

When she asked about their favorite free time activity, Harry had seemed thoroughly stumped. His answer of gardening sent alarm bells ringing through Ms. Murphy's mind. What six year old child enjoys gardening?

When asked what they wanted to do when they grew up both children had honestly stated that they had absolutely no clue. She'd purposefully started in the back that day so they couldn't use one of the other children's responses. Ms. Murphy somewhat expected the answer from Harley, as unfortunately children from group homes rarely have adult mentors to help guide them in these matters, nor are they exposed to as many life experiences as children living with loving parents or guardians.

This is what bothered Ms. Murphy the most. If Harry lived with loving relatives, he should be exposed to different kinds of jobs, especially since his cousin loves watching television so much. Some of the jobs the kids wanted were jobs only a child would think were fun, such as a pizza man or the person who runs the roller coasters at a theme park. Kids can _always_ think of _something_ they'd like to do. So why couldn't a boy, who lived with a cousin who'd said he wanted to be a professional wrestler, think of _anything_ he'd like to do when he grew up? Not a fireman, ice cream truck driver, astronaut, nothing?

Ms. Murphy was quite worried for the young boy by the end of the week. She realized very quickly that neither child was exaggerating when they said their best friend was what made them happier than anything else in the world. She watched them during recess and noticed they spent most of their time talking and hiding from Dudley and his friends. Harry's cousin was quite obviously the biggest bully in their year level, and Ms. Murphy was worried about how Dudley treated Harry at home. Harry seemed to have a respectable amount of fear for the bigger boy. Ms. Murphy noted the way Harry's body would always stand slightly in front of Harley's whenever Dudley was in sight, like he was preparing to protect her if his cousin got too close.

All of these observations led Ms. Murphy to seek aid from the school's principal after school let out on Friday. She'd told him all of her concerns, as well as the reasons she felt something was off with Harry's home life. The man's response positively infuriated the young teacher.

"Ms. Murphy," he smiled patronizingly, "you are seeing things that aren't there. We see this with new teachers all the time. You come fresh from your schooling where you've taken a few behavioral science courses and then suddenly everyone's a social worker. We had no complaints about Dudley Dursley last year, and I'm personally friends with the boy's father. I assure you there is nothing wrong with Harry Potter's home life. Vernon says he has to be hard on the boy as he's very unruly. Don't let him fool you, Ms. Murphy."

She had just gaped at the principal, completely shocked that her concerns were just thrown out with no investigation whatsoever. She sought advice from some of the other teachers, and received the same response. The pair's kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Phillips, said the two children were always difficult in her class, especially Harley.

Ms. Murphy knew the reason Harley was particularly wary of adults was because of her upbringing. Shuffled from home to home, always ending back up at the orphanage. The child would have no choice but to become strong and independent with a complete distrust in authority figures. The only other option would to completely lose all self-worth and confidence, shattering the child's psyche. Harley Smith was anything but shattered, and Ms. Murphy admired the girl's tenacity and strength of will.

In all honesty, after being completely ignored by her principal, Ms. Murphy was having a bit of trouble keeping her own faith in the system. How could she blame Harley for feeling the same way? She decided then and there to be an adult in the children's lives that they could count on. She'd show Harley Smith that there are some adults in the world that can be trusted.

So, after school the following Monday Ms. Murphy asked Harry and Harley to stay behind for a few minutes. She didn't miss the look of triumph on Dudley's face at the thought that Harry was in trouble.

The two children slowly approached her desk after the room cleared out. Harry's demeanor was timid while Harley's was blatantly suspicious. Ms. Murphy could practically see the girl judging her, waiting for her to prove that she was just like everyone else.

When the pair finally arrived to her desk Ms. Murphy smiled warmly in an attempt to ease their tension. "Don't worry, you two, you're not in trouble or anything. I just wanted to ask you something." The children nodded their heads in acknowledgment so Ms. Murphy continued. "I teach dance lessons down at the rec center a few times a week. I have been dancing since I was a young child. I thought you two might enjoy it."

Harry looked like he would enjoy _anything_ more than dance lessons, but Harley seemed intrigued, yet skeptical. "We can't afford dance lessons, Ms. Murphy," she informed.

"That's okay, Harley, I can decide if I want to include someone for free." From the affronted look on Harley's face Ms. Murphy knew what the girl was thinking. She thought Ms. Murphy pitied them and was giving them charity. In a way the girl was right; the two children had pulled at her heartstrings that first week. She knew that teacher's should keep a certain cold disassociation with their students. She'd done her teacher's duty with the two children in bringing her concerns to the principal. She should still observe, of course, but she knew going beyond that was outside her job description. She didn't care, though. She wanted to help these two children, even it if went beyond her role as their first grade teacher.

With this in mind Ms. Murphy leaned in, whispering conspiratorially. "You know, I'm not supposed to have favorites. It's only the first day of my second week and I've already failed in that respect. Please don't' tell anyone." At their bewildered nods, she continued. "I just thought it would be a fun activity you could do together away from school. I enjoy teaching you in class, and would love to be able to have you in my dance class, as well."

Harley was very excited about the prospect of seeing Harry outside of school. If Ms. Murphy would let them continue on during the summers they wouldn't have to go so long without seeing each other again. She grabbed Harry's hand excitedly. "What do you think, Harry?"

Harry looked sadly at his friend. He didn't want to disappoint her, but he knew his aunt and uncle would never give him permission. Ms. Murphy noticed his forlorn expression. "What is it, Harry?" she asked. "You don't have to take part in all the different kinds of dancing if you don't want to. You could just watch and join in if you see something that looks like fun. Also, dancing isn't just…well, dancing. There's strength, flexibility and agility exercises as well."

Harry looked even more depressed at this. He'd love to make his body faster and stronger. It would be easier to stay away from Dudley. "It's not that, Ms. Murphy. I just don't think my aunt and uncle will let me."

"Oh? Why's that?"

The boy fidgeted uncomfortably. How could he tell her that they wouldn't let him do anything but chores? Harley saw his struggle and came to his rescue. She knew Harry wouldn't want Ms. Murphy to know what it's like at home. "His aunt and uncle just like him to be home, is all."

Harry smiled at his friend gratefully, a gesture not missed by Ms. Murphy. "Hmm. Tell you what, Harry. I'll walk you kids home from school today and I'll tell your aunt and uncle about the classes. I'm sure if I explain the benefits, they'll let you participate."

"Well, my uncle will probably still be at work, but my aunt should be home." Ms. Murphy smiled and nodded, leading the two children out of the classroom. Harry thought he might just be in luck. If Aunt Petunia was the only one home, Ms. Murphy might be able to talk her into it. She is so worried about what everyone thinks, she won't want Dudley's teacher to think she's mistreating her nephew.

They reached the orphanage first, dropping Harley off before making their way over to Privet Drive. Harry nearly groaned when the driveway came into view. Uncle Vernon's car was there. His hopes were immediately dashed. Uncle Vernon would _never_ agree.

He was usually yelled at the moment he walked through the door, so he was afraid to just walk in the house. He'd be in deep trouble if his his aunt or uncle embarrassed themselves in front of Dudley's teacher. He opted on ringing the doorbell. Ms. Murphy raised her brow at this, but kept mum.

The door swung open after a few moments, revealing his Uncle Vernon. His eyes zeroed in on Harry, where they narrowed. "Why did you ring the doorbell, bo – " Uncle Vernon stopped himself when he noticed the woman standing next to his nephew. The _very_ attractive woman. "erm, Harry?" he finished after a short pause. "And who is this?"

Harry eyed his uncle curiously. "This is my teacher, Ms. Murphy. She wanted to speak with you. Ms. Murphy, this is my Uncle Vernon."

Ms. Murphy smiled and held out her hand to the beefy man. "It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Dursley. Harry told me you'd probably be a work, but I'm glad I caught you home. May I speak to you and your wife for a few minutes?"

Uncle Vernon nodded pleasantly to the young woman and invited her inside. "Well yes, I normally would be at work at this time of day, but I had a doctor's appointment this afternoon and came home afterward. Dudley told us that you'd asked Harry and that girl he hangs about with to stay after class. I hope he's not causing you any trouble." Uncle Vernon glared at Harry as he said this.

Ms. Murphy didn't like the way he glared at Harry, or the way he called Harley 'that girl he hangs about with', but she was here to fight a different battle, so she said nothing, opting to smile instead. "Not at all, Mr. Dursley. I assure you, Harry is a delight to teach. Dudley as well," she added hastily at the look on Mr. Dursley's face.

It seemed to do the trick, because the man smiled proudly and introduced her to his wife. The tall thin woman offered her some tea as they sat in the living room to discuss the reason for her visit.

"Mr. and Mrs. Dursley. I'm here today because I'd like for Harry to join my dance classes. I teach them after school three times per week down at the rec center. It is within walking distance, and I think Harry would really enjoy it. There isn't a charge for the class, and Dudley is welcome too, of course. The classes will help strengthen their flexibility and agility."

Mr. Dursley looked like he wanted to laugh but was trying very hard to hold it in. "You want to teach Harry how to dance?"

Ms. Murphy wanted to scowl at the man, but managed to refrain. Barely. "Yes sir, I think it would be good for him."

"Will he need a tutu?" Mr. Dursley asked, his mustache twitching.

Ms. Murphy was not amused, and began to wonder what type of man her principal was if this walrus was his personal friend. She held back her retorts, however, and answered as congenially as she could manage. "No, Mr. Dursley. There will be no expenses, I assure you."

Vernon Dursley looked amusedly at his nephew. He would be teased mercilessly for taking dance lessons. Dudley would make sure of it. The additional torment might even help to stamp out some of the freakishness in the boy. Yes, he would let the brat take _dance lessons._ He could hardly even think it without laughing.

"Well, b – er, Harry, as long as you don't slack on your chores you can go to these dance lessons."

Harry wasn't stupid. He knew why his uncle agreed to the lessons. He didn't care, though. He was going to get to spend three afternoons a week with Harley. So what if his uncle and cousin had new material to throw at him. It'd be the same song, just different lyrics. Still, he made sure not to let his excitement show. It wouldn't do to allow his uncle to see he was happy about the decision.

"Thank you Uncle Vernon," Harry said quietly.

Ms. Murphy couldn't resist a final question. She wanted to see how the man would respond. "Will Dudley be joining us?"

This proved to be the final straw for Vernon Dursley, as he burst out laughing. "No," he chuckled. "Dudley will not be joining you."

Ms. Murphy plastered a smile on her face. "Very well then, Mr. Dursley. I thank you for allowing Harry to take part in the lessons."

"Sure, sure," he said while still chuckling to himself. He then gestured for the woman to proceed to the door and followed behind her with his eyes glued to her ass. Fine dancer's ass, he thought to himself.

Ms. Murphy could sense the man's eyes on her and felt disgusted. She couldn't _wait_ to get out of that house. She noticed the locks on the cupboard when she was leaving, and thought it odd. The thought that the Dursleys would lock their nephew in the closet never entered her mind.

When she left, Harry's uncle immediately zeroed in on the boy, calling him all sorts of names. Harry took it in stride, though. He didn't care about Uncle Vernon's opinion. The only person he cared about was Harley, and she thought he was brilliant. He made her happier than anything else in the world, said so herself. Nothing Uncle Vernon could say would touch Harry after that endorsement. He made sure to play the part of ashamed child, however, lest Uncle Vernon realize what a huge victory his permission was for Harry.

Harley could hardly contain herself hoping that Ms. Murphy would be able to convince Harry's horrible uncle to allow him to attend the lessons with her. She had immediately obtained permission from the administrators and ran back outside to await Ms. Murphy's return. She quickly approached the young woman as she passed the orphanage on the way back to the school.

"Ms. Murphy? How did it go?"

Ms. Murphy smiled happily at the young girl. "It went wonderfully, Harley. I knew they'd let him come when they saw the benefits of the classes." The woman knew this wasn't the reason that arse of a man allowed Harry to attend, but she couldn't very well tell the girl that.

For her part, Harley just beamed. It was the first time in her young life that an adult had come through for her. She'd told them she'd talk Harry's relatives into the idea and she did it. It would take a lot more time for Harley to really trust the woman, but she no longer felt as wary of her. Maybe it was because she hadn't been an adult that long…

oOoOoOo

The next few years passed by relatively uneventfully.

Harry and Harley had an amazing first grade year. They grew very close with Ms. Murphy, who'd insisted they call her Mary while not in school. She'd made sure that Dudley's gang left the pair alone, so they didn't have to be as on guard that year. She also began discreetly providing lunch for the two, as well as dinner on the nights they had lessons. She'd also give them fruits and nuts to take home with them. She'd noticed in the lessons that the children weren't nourished properly. If they were going to be expending all that extra energy in lessons they'd need proper nourishment, and she could afford the extra expense. Her family was well off, and she'd become a teacher because of her love for children. The money was a non-issue.

Harley had taken to dancing very quickly. She loved it. She'd spent her entire life bottling up her emotions and playing everything close to the vest. The only person she'd let see the real Harley was Harry. That changed when she started dancing, as Mary got to see the real Harley Smith every time she went through a routine. She used the music and the movement as an outlet for her emotions, and it was very good for the girl. Harry was still the only person that she truly let in outside of dance, however.

Harry mostly took part in the exercises and tumbling. The training and better nourishment provided by Mary turned him into a very lithe, agile athlete. However, when it came to the dancing he was mostly a spectator. He loved to watch Harley dance. She was so graceful and beautiful and open. She just looked so free. It didn't start out that way, of course, even though she was a natural. It took time and practice to learn the techniques, but Harley would practice in the orphanage's back yard all the time. She didn't even need to hear the music; she just felt it.

oOoOoOo

The pair didn't have the same luck in teachers in the second grade, but fortunately Mary had insured that they'd always be in the same class. Mrs. Darcy was their teacher and she seemed to have a particular dislike for Harley. One day, when the woman was being particularly nasty, her hair suddenly turned blue. Harley didn't know what happened, as she usually feels something stirring inside when something strange like that happens. She didn't think she was the one who caused it.

She looked to Harry curiously. His head was bowed and his cheeks were red. "Did you do that, Harry?"

"I didn't mean to, she was just being so awful to you!" he whispered frantically. "Please don't think I'm a freak!" He looked so vulnerable in that moment that Harley couldn't help but love him even more.

"Harry Potter, how could I ever think that my best friend is a freak?" she asked smiling.

He smiled back, relief clear on his face. "I've done strange things like that before, too. When the Harrison's adopted me I changed their Dalmatian into a black dog with white spots. Freaked them right out. I hope that doesn't mean you think I'm a freak." She smirked at his dumbfounded expression.

"Weird things happen around you, too?" he asked astonished. They'd never really discussed this particular issue, as they were both afraid of the other's reaction. Harry because he'd always been called a freak when something strange happened, and Harley because she'd been rejected by every couple who'd ever adopted her because of it.

They were both relieved that not only did their friend not care about the strange happenings, but experienced them as well. It was just another thing they had in common and their bond became inexplicably tighter.

Mary continued to bring them lunch every day, arriving early to set it in their desks. She also continued their lessons as they had all summer long. Harley hadn't needed to break into the Dursley's to see Harry on his birthday that summer. They'd had a small party for him at the rec center. He was absolutely thrilled with it. It even made up for his "present" from the Dursleys this year. He was going to be in charge of cooking breakfast and dinner on the nights he didn't have dance lessons. Happy Birthday, indeed.

oOoOoOo

The night before the first day of third grade Harry's aunt had sheared off all his hair, annoyed that it couldn't be tamed. She'd only left the bangs to cover up his "horrible scar". He'd been extremely upset at the thought of going to school looking so utterly ridiculous, and Dudley had taunted him quite thoroughly. They were all surprised when upon waking the next morning Harry's hair was exactly as it was before it was cut. Harry was relieved of course, but the Dursleys were quite upset. Harry told Harley about what happened and she thought it was brilliant. Her opinion was all that mattered to him.

oOoOoOo

During fourth grade Harry's aunt tried to force him into a gaudy sweater. While she was wrestling with him the jumper got smaller and smaller until eventually it would only fit a toddler. Aunt Petunia had written it off as having shrunk in the dryer, which made both Harry and Harley snicker. Harley had some issues with the teacher and she would often find her chair missing when she went to sit down. The woman couldn't figure out why she kept misjudging the chair's position.

That year the fourth grade students were taken on a field trip to a natural history museum. Harry's aunt and uncle refused to sign the permission slip and pay for Harry to go. Harley didn't turn in her slip so she could stay behind with Harry. They had the run of the playground during recess that day. The two children laughed and ran around the playground with glee, enjoying their worry free playtime.

They were enjoying some time on the swings when Harry suddenly came to a stop. Seeing the serious expression on Harry's face, Harley used her legs to break her forward motion and stopped as well. She looked around cautiously but didn't see any danger.

"What's up, Harry?" she asked curiously.

Harry studied her for a few more moments. He'd been watching her laugh in glee as she glided through the air on the swing. She was just so beautiful to him that something struck him deep inside and he knew. He knew he loved her, and had to say the words to the girl who was the most precious thing in the world to him.

"Harley, I love you."

Harley's face lit up into a brilliant smile before Harry could even think about being self-conscious or nervous about her response. "I love you too, Harry. More than anything."

Harry smiled and started swinging again, but realized he had more to say. He didn't even break his stride as he asked, "When we get older, will you marry me?"

Harley didn't miss a beat as she continued to pump her legs. "Of course, Harry. Who else would I marry?"

Harry smiled happily. "That means you're my girlfriend now, right?"

She pondered that for a moment. "Well, technically it means I'm your fiancé. I think we should just stick with girlfriend for now, though, and keep the fiancé thing to ourselves."

Harry's smile widened. "Excellent."

oOoOoO

Their fifth grade year started out normal enough. Their teacher was tolerable and they spent their recesses hiding from Dudley's gang. Just after Easter, however, the pair was discovered. Harry grabbed Harley's hand and took off running. The pair was much faster than their pursuers, especially with all of their training. The only problem was that the gang had boxed them in. They had no escape and the boys seemed to be out for blood. They were sick of the little freaks evading them since kindergarten.

It wasn't meant to be, however, because as soon as Harry had seen the trap the pair disappeared. The bullies looked around, confused. They weren't the only ones. Harry and Harley were on top of the school building feeling very strange. One minute they were on the ground and the next they felt like they were being squished through a tube before landing on the roof.

No one believed that they didn't climb up there on purpose and both the Dursleys and the orphanage were notified. The orphanage was upset, but it wasn't too horrible. They just gave her some extra chores for the week. The Dursleys, on the other hand, were absolutely furious. They had forbidden him from going to the dance lessons as a punishment. This was devastating for the couple, as they only got to see each other at school and the lessons. They both hoped the ban was lifted before the summer. They couldn't possibly go a whole two months without contact at this point. They needed each other.

After a month of the ban Mary had tried to reason with the man. She even went so far as to flirt with him, much to her displeasure. He wouldn't budge, though. He said that if the boy behaved he would consider allowing him to return in the summer. That was more than Harley had hoped for, so she was relieved. They both did everything they could to be on their best behavior, desperate to see each other over the summer months.

Sometimes things can't be helped, however, because everything came crashing down on Dudley's eleventh birthday. It was the end of May, so close to summer. Ms. Figg was supposed to watch Harry while the Dursleys took Dudley and his friend Pierce to the zoo. She had to back out at the last minute and the Dursleys, unwilling to leave Harry home alone lest he blow up the house, were forced to bring the boy.

Everything was going fine until they entered the reptile house. Dudley told his father to make the large boa constrictor move, but it just lay there asleep. Harry felt bad for it, being on display all the time like that. He started talking to it absently when the snake raised his head. The two seemed to be communicating, which floored Harry. How was he talking to a snake?

He felt a sudden punch to his gut and was pushed to the floor. Dudley had his piggy nose up against the glass staring at the snake. Harry narrowed his eyes at his cousin in anger. Why did he have to be such a git?

Suddenly the glass disappeared. Dudley quickly backed away, his mouth gaping, as the snake rose from the habitat and slithered toward Harry. He could swore he heard the snake hiss, "Brazil here I come, thanksss amigo."

Harry watched the snake slither away in shock. How did that just happen? When he turned his head back toward his relatives he saw the murderous look on his uncle's face. His heart sank into his stomach in that moment as he knew he was going to have to go the whole summer without seeing Harley.

It turned out to be worse than that. There were two weeks of school remaining and his uncle told the school Harry was sick and wouldn't be able to make it for the remainder of the year. Being friends with the principal paid off and the whole issue was overlooked, despite the protests from Mary Murphy. Harley was heartbroken when Mary told her in their lesson, along with the conversation she'd had with Vernon Dursley when the vile man informed her Harry would never take part in another lesson. She'd started giving Harley private lessons the year before. The girl was beyond talented and Mary wanted to cultivate her skills, so the two were alone. That afternoon was the first time Mary saw Harley cry outside of when she was dancing. The girl broke down in sobs and allowed Mary to pull her into her embrace, Harley crying on her shoulder. That was the moment that Mary finally broke through all the walls Harley constructed around herself. She had finally been let in and was glad she would be able to be there for Harley over the summer. She only wished Harry didn't have to be so alone.

Saturday, June 8th found Harley Smith listlessly staring out the window of her bedroom. She hadn't seen Harry in almost two weeks and she felt like a piece of her soul was missing. She hadn't been apart from him this long since the summer before first grade and it was tearing her up inside. She missed him so much and didn't even get a chance to say goodbye.

There was a knock on her door but she didn't answer it. She just continued to stare out the window unseeingly. Eventually the door was opened despite the lack of response and Harley idly wondered why they bothered knocking in the first place. She didn't look to the door, though. She didn't care that someone came into the room.

"Miss Black?" she heard. Black? There weren't any children here with that last name. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see who it was. "Miss Black?" The woman asked again.

Harley was shocked at what she saw when she finally gave the woman her attention. She was wearing an emerald green dress, but it looked…medieval almost. Over the dress was a robe in the same color. That…isn't normal.

Harley cleared her throat and shrugged the woman's hand off her shoulder. "I'm sorry, ma'am. There is no one here by that name."

The woman smiled kindly at her and sat on the bed opposite. "Yes there is, Miss Black. Your name isn't Harley Smith. It's Harley Black."

Harley was afraid her eyes would pop out of her head, they were open so wide. "Erm, excuse me?"

The strange woman had closed the door upon entry and Harley was now eying it with interest. Should she make a break for it? This woman was obviously nutters. How on _earth_ did she get passed the administrators?

The crazy woman was still smiling benignly. "Allow me to explain, Miss Black. I am Professor McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

At these words Harley bolted from her bed and made a run for the door. Bloody _hell_ how did this crazy person get into the orphanage? She made it to the door quickly and went to wrench it open but it wouldn't budge. _Fuck! How the hell am I supposed to get out of here?_

She slowly turned around, half expecting the escaped mental patient to be standing right behind her. The lady was still sitting on the bed, though. She was clearly amused. Harley noticed that she was holding a stick. _Shit. _She quickly scanned the room in search for anything that could be used as a weapon. The best she could do was a pen. She quickly grabbed it and held it tightly in her hand.

"I don't know what you want or how you got in here, but I'll scream. Someone will come."

"I'm not here to hurt you, Miss Black. I'm here to offer you a place at my school. You are a witch." The woman was clearly trying to hold on to her stern look, but was failing miserably. The corners of her lips were visibly twitching. It just pissed Harley off.

"I'm glad you think my distress is so amusing. I reject your offer. Please leave."

This sobered the older woman and her face lost all traces of humor. "My apologies, Miss Black. It's just that I've done hundreds of these notifications in my time and no one has ever reacted as strongly as you. It's just ironic is all."

"Ironic?" What the hell is the woman playing at?

"Yes, Miss Black. I usually only do notifications for muggleborns." At Harley's confused expression, she elaborated. "A muggle is a non-magical person. A muggleborn is a magical person born to muggles. Both your parents were magical, Miss Black. In fact, the Black line is one of the oldest in our world. Most Ancient and Noble House of Black, it's called. Your mother was a very powerful muggleborn witch." The woman seemed to be in another place as she spoke.

Harley was not impressed. "Look around you Ma'am. I'm an orphan. The only family I have is my boyfriend. He's all the family I need."

The older woman cast her eyes down briefly. This wasn't going the way she expected. "I'm sorry, Miss Black. I shouldn't have gone into those issues at this time. It wasn't appropriate. Please, sit back down so we can discuss the issues at hand."

"I think I'll stay here, thanks." Harley replied.

The woman pursed her lips. "Very well, Miss Black. I spoke with the administrators before coming to your room. They told me that you are not eligible for adoption because they always fall through. Complaints of strange happenings, they said. The reason for these strange happenings is magic, Miss Black. You were forced into a very unstable living situation, and then began being shuffled from home to home. This caused emotional distress which triggered a magical reaction. We call it 'accidental magic'. It will continue happening until you learn how to control it. That's what you do at Hogwarts. You learn to control your magic."

She couldn't refute those facts, although she was annoyed that the administrators of this facility gave her personal information to a complete stranger. She was still skeptical of the woman. How did she know whether the woman didn't just want to kidnap her and do weird experiments on her to figure out how she made strange things happen? There was only one way to be sure. "Prove it. Prove you're a witch."

The woman smiled in triumph. She knew she had the girl now and she turned her stick to Harley's bed and waved it around. Suddenly there was a giant turtle where her bed once sat. Harley's eyes nearly bugged out of her head for the second time that afternoon. "Do you believe me now, Miss Black?"

Harley nodded her head dumbly and the woman brandished her stick again to change the bed back. "That was the branch of magic known as Transfiguration. It is the subject I teach at Hogwarts."

Harley slowly made her way over to the bed. She couldn't believe what she'd just seen. She slowly sat down, as if worried the bed would suddenly turn back into a turtle. Professor McGonagall was wise enough not to outwardly show her amusement this time.

The girl's next words wiped it all away anyway. "My parents were magical? Did they go to Hogwarts? What happened to them?"

Professor McGonagall took a deep breath, cursing herself for bringing up the girl's parents. She needed to know, though. She needed to know what was widely known about her father before she left for school. She _didn't_ need to know the details about the betrayal of his friends, however.

"Yes, Miss Black. Both of your parents attended Hogwarts. Your mother, Dorcas Black nee Meadowes was murdered by a very evil dark wizard." Harley stopped breathing. Her mother was murdered?

"Your father…" Oh bugger, this was hard. "Your father, well, he's in Azkaban, wizarding Britain's prison." Harley forced herself to breath normally. She didn't want to show this woman how she felt about any of this. She just wanted Harry. She needed him.

"_Why_ is he in prison?" Harley asked impassively.

McGonagall was surprised by the lack of emotion from the girl. Surprised and worried. She'd just been told her mother was murdered and her father was in prison. She should be having _some_ kind of reaction.

McGonagall hesitated. The girl had to know, though. She couldn't go to Hogwarts not knowing when most others would know exactly who she was, who her father was and what he'd done. She looked the girl directly in the eyes when she responded. "Your father was imprisoned for murdering twelve muggles and one wizard." The only sign the girl had even heard what McGonagall said was a raised eyebrow.

Inside Harley's emotions were raging. Her mother was murdered and her father was a murderer? She needed time to process this new information away from this woman who was now waiting for a response. So she just quirked an eyebrow and replied evenly, "And they call his family noble? Now that's ironic."

McGonagall didn't know quite how to take the young girl. She didn't seem to care at all that her father was a murderer, but she did note the irony that his family calls themselves noble when one of their own is a murderer, if she only knew the extent of it. At least she understands that murder isn't noble. She also said "his family" as if it was disassociated from her. She would have to speak to Albus about this. The girl was an enigma, and with her family history she'd need to be carefully watched.

McGonagall cleared her throat before speaking. "Yes, well, I'm sorry to be the one to inform you of these things, but you had to know before you arrived at the school. Most of the people there will know of your father."

"You speak as if my attendance is a foregone conclusion." It was McGonagall's turn to quirk an eyebrow. The girl was right; she didn't think there would be a question of her attendance once she'd proven the validity of her claim. "I assure you it is not, ma'am."

"If this is about money, Miss Black, you have no need to worry. As the last remaining Black, not imprisoned, of course, you have control of the Black family vault. You have a veritable fortune waiting for you at Gringotts, the wizarding bank."

"Oh excellent. That wasn't actually the issue to which I was referring, but the money will help. I want my boyfriend to come as well. I'm certain he's a wizard and I'll pay his tuition. I won't go without him." Harley stated matter-of-factly.

The woman looked stunned. "It doesn't work that way, Miss Black. Either his name is on the registry or it's not. All muggleborns in Britain are added to the list. If he's not there he can't come to Hogwarts."

"Oh, well then can you check the list for Harry Potter? I'll only go if Harry can come too."

The look of unadulterated shock on McGonagall's face nearly made Harley lose all composure. The woman was literally gaping in between sputtering nonsense. Harley cocked her head to the side in confusion. What was the big deal? She finally managed to spit out some intelligible words. "How do you know Harry Potter?" she very nearly shouted.

Harley was back to looking at the woman like she was insane. "He's my boyfriend, my family. I've told you this already."

The woman started pacing the room with a distraught look on her face. "How did this happen? Potter and Black? Potter and Black?"

Harley was beginning to get angry. She was very protective of Harry and she didn't like the way this woman was carrying on. "What about Harry, ma'am?" she asked, drawing McGonagall's focus back to the girl in front of her.

The sadness in the woman's eyes stunned Harley momentarily and she gulped audibly. "Miss Black. The evil wizard who killed your mother also killed Mr. Potter's parents." Harley couldn't stifle her surprise this time, and she gasped. Harry's parents were murdered, too? By the same man who murdered her mum?

"He also tried to kill little Harry. It's how he received that scar on his forehead. It's a curse scar." She explained sadly.

Harley abruptly stood, startling the older woman. "Excuse me. Can you please unlock the door? I need to use the restroom." Harley quickly walked to the door and the knob turned this time. She fairly sprinted to the bathroom and locked the door shut. Leaning against the wall, Harley slowly slid to the ground with tears spilling down her cheeks. The thought that someone tried to kill Harry was stabbing through her heart. How could someone try to kill Harry? He's the sweetest most loving person she'd ever known. He was her…everything.

Harley let the tears flow without trying to stifle any of her emotions. She needed to feel them in that moment, knowing she was alone in the bathroom and no one would ever see. After about fifteen minutes she was able to pull herself together and return to her room. The woman was still sitting on the bed, lost in thought.

When she looked up McGonagall saw the girl's red puffy eyes, but said nothing. It was clear the child was uncomfortable showing emotion. McGonagall was just glad that she did _feel_. The last thing the wizarding world needed was another orphan without the ability to feel. Well, feel anything other than anger and hate, that is.

"Why?" was all the girl said. Her voice sounded so broken in that moment that McGonagall knew the girl truly loved the boy. She didn't get a single reaction to the news that her mother was murdered nor that her father was a murderer. The first reaction was when she discovered that _Harry's_ parents were murdered and that the man had tried to kill _Harry_. The latter bringing the strongest response.

McGonagall then went into a brief overview of the war and why it was fought, on both sides. She told the child that her father was aligned with the person that caused so much devastation in her and Harry's lives. McGonagall saw anger and heartbreak flash through the girl's eyes, quick as lightening, before she moved on to other details about that time.

By the time the tale was finished both of the females were thoroughly exhausted, mentally and emotionally. McGonagall told Harley that she would have originally taken her to Diagon Alley to purchase her school things, but that there had been enough excitement for one day. She told the girl to get some rest and she'd be back tomorrow. Harley, however, had other ideas. "When will you give Harry is notification?"

"On his birthday, same as you."

Harley looked shocked. "Today's my birthday?"

McGonagall smiled warmly at the girl. "Yes, Miss Black, and I'm remiss in not telling you sooner. Happy Birthday."

"Thank you. Would it be alright if I came along for Harry's notification and went to buy my stuff with him?"

McGonagall thought about it for a moment. "That should be fine, Miss Black, but won't you be telling Harry about the wizarding world before his birthday?"

Harley just shook her head no. She wouldn't be seeing Harry before his birthday, but she didn't want to tell this woman Harry's personal business. McGonagall looked at the girl curiously. "Alright Miss Black. I don't really understand why you won't be telling him before the notification, but you can join him for it."

"Thank you, ma'am."

"Have a good day, Miss Black." The woman said before spinning on the spot and disappearing.

"You too," Harley said to no one in particular.

**A/N:**

**First off I'd like to thank those who took the time to leave reviews. I really appreciate it!**

**XFactor101, HarryHermioneBellaSwan, ashrachellexx, Naginator, HarryPotterNut94, and teamhogwarts.**

**Thanks!**

**So I was inspired to make Harley a dancer by So You Think You Can Dance. It's also why I named her instructor Mary Murphy, who's a judge on the show. I felt like it would be a good way for Harley to channel her emotions in a healthy way. I also wanted to give them an activity that would allow the two of them to see each other outside of school and during the summer. The Dursleys wouldn't let Harry do something they would think he'd enjoy, so dancing seemed perfect. Plus, the skills needed to be a good dancer would help them in duels, dodging and moving their bodies agilely. **

**Please let me know what you think! Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoy the chapter!

Disclaimer: I thought I'd remind everyone that I own nothing in the Potterverse as I'm going to be using some direct dialogue and other lines from the book in this chapter. No copyright infringement intended!

Chapter 3:

Harley spent the weeks before Harry's birthday deep in contemplation. She didn't know how she felt about any of it. According to McGonagall her father's side of the family consisted mostly of sadistic bigots. Her own father supposedly supported the mother of all sadistic bigots. And her mother, killed by the man her father supported? It made _absolutely_ no sense.

Her mother was a muggleborn witch, the main target, along with muggles, of the previously mentioned sadistic bigots. Why would he give his family name to a muggleborn before making her the mother of his firstborn child if he thought muggleborns were beneath him? It just didn't sit right with Harley. She needed more information, but she was very wary of Professor McGonagall. It would take a lot of time for her to be comfortable with the woman, if ever.

She also spent a lot of time worrying about Harry's reaction. What if what McGonagall said about her father was true? He'd helped the man who made Harry an orphan. Harley knew she'd never forgive her father if he was guilty, and she was worried about how Harry would feel about her in relation to the man. Would he see her in a new light once he knew? See her only as the spawn of an evil man who helped another evil man strip him of his parents and the life he could have had with them? What if he expected her to simply take McGonagall's claim at face value and simply write off her father as an evil bastard?

She knew Harry loved her, but could his love survive this new development? She would be absolutely devastated if he turned his back on her. She didn't know how she would survive without him and the worry was eating away at her insides. She threw herself into dance in an attempt to process all the emotions threatening to overwhelm her.

Mary noticed the change in her student. They'd grown quite close over the past five years and Mary was very worried about the girl. She had crawled right into the older woman's heart and claimed her own little piece. Harley wouldn't tell her what was bothering her, though. How could she? Excluding Harry, she trusted Mary more than anyone else it the world. But what would she say? _Oh Mary, it's awful. I found out that I'm a witch and Harry's a wizard. Both his parents and my mother were murdered by a man my father purportedly supported. Don't worry, he's in prison now. _Yeah right, that would go over well. Not that she could even mention the whole magic thing. McGonagall had told her about The Statute of Secrecy. She couldn't tell Mary even if she wanted to.

Mary figured the reason Harley was so upset lately was due to angst over her separation from Harry, so she didn't push the girl. She was worried, though. Over the course of the last five years Mary had gotten married to a nice man. She was now almost five months pregnant with their first child.

She knew that with a newborn on the way she wouldn't be able to spend as much time with her dance students, and Harley by extension. Mary's friend, Sophie, was willing to come out to the rec center a few days a week and Mary was picking up the tab. But with Harley, it wouldn't be as easy as simply giving her a new instructor. With Harley dance was so personal. The girl told you exactly what she was feeling in every movement. Harley would need to trust an instructor before she'd allow the person to have any say whatsoever in the way she danced.

Harley didn't trust easily. The girl tested everyone with whom she came into contact. A person had to earn their trust with her; nothing was given away for free. Mary had warned her friend about Harley's issues and they were willing to work through it together. Mary had planned to tell Harley the news about the baby before telling her about Sophie. Then Sophie would join Mary during the lessons, slowly taking over instruction. Eventually Mary would start skipping lessons here and there, allowing Harley to become more comfortable with the idea of being alone with Sophie. Mary never planned to abandon the child altogether. When her baby was old enough to travel she would bring him to lessons every now and again. She had vowed to be an adult Harry and Harley could count on and she had no plans to break that vow.

Mary had put a lot of thought into the issue and she believed her plan was well thought out and would be beneficial for her favorite student. She had been suffering her own angst since Harry's ban worrying over how Harley would react to this second change. She found out it was all for naught a week before Harry's birthday, the same day she was going to reveal the plans to Harley.

Just after completing her cool down stretches, Harley approached her teacher and mentor. "Mary, I need to speak with you about something."

"Of course, sweetheart. I actually need to speak to you about something as well. Why don't you go first?"

Harley nodded her head in ascent. "Well, about a month and a half ago I found out some things about my biological parents."

Of all the things Harley could possibly wish to speak about, Mary did not expect this. "Oh?"

Harley nodded her head solemnly. "I don't really want to get into the details about it. I'm still not sure how I feel about everything I found out." _Or whether I even believe it_, she thought silently. "The thing is, they were apparently very wealthy and every generation before me has attended this prestigious boarding school in Scotland. They've offered me a place there in the fall. I apparently have a trust fund or something that will pay for it. I asked them to take Harry as well, and they agreed. I won't be able to continue lessons next year." Harley looked down sadly. She was truly upset about discontinuing the lessons during the school year. She also hated lying to Mary, so she tried to be as truthful as she could without raising suspicion. "I'm hoping we can still have lessons in the summer?"

Mary was shocked. How on earth had Harley been able to convince Harry's horrible uncle to let him go off to boarding school? She figured the man disliked his nephew enough that the idea of being rid of him for most of the year was worth giving up his maid. Yes, Mary had figured out the dynamics of the Dursley's household and it infuriated her. The worst part was that she could do nothing about it. It's not illegal to have your child perform chores. Too bad she didn't know about the cupboard under the stairs.

"Mary?" Harley asked softly, bringing the older woman out of her stupor.

"Yes? Sorry. Of course we can continue our lessons in the summer, Harley. I was actually going to have to get you an alternate instructor in a couple of months. A friend of mine was going to come down for your lessons a few times a week. I'm having a baby, a boy, in about 4 months."

Harley's eyebrows rose in surprise. Mary had been wearing looser clothes, but Harley hadn't noticed that the woman was pregnant. Looking at her now, though, she was surprised she'd missed it. She had fairly obvious signs. After scrutinizing her teacher for a moment she broke out into a huge grin. "That's brilliant Mary! You'll make a wonderful mum!"

Harley reached out and pulled her mentor into a hug. Mary was shocked as Harley tends to shy away from physical contact with anyone but Harry. She'd allow Mary to touch her when they were working on her technique and Mary needed to show her how to position her body, but otherwise Harley always kept a distance.

The fact that the girl for whom she'd grown to care so deeply thought she would make a brilliant mum touched something deep inside Mary. She knew Harley didn't have a positive outlook on authority or parental figures, so Harley's genuine happiness at Mary's news showed the true extent of Harley's affection for her mentor.

Harley knew how much Mary loved children and that she'd eventually want a few of her own. She was happy for the woman who had been such a positive force in her life. She may not have had a mother of her own, but she knew Mary's son would be blessed with an amazing mother who loved him unconditionally. He'd never have to feel the rejection of parental love. She was happy for the both of them, and she told the little guy so. When she pulled out of the embrace she placed her hand gently on the small bump she'd felt when they hugged. "You're one lucky little boy, you know. You're going to have the best mummy in the whole world. You better be good for her." Harley grinned up at Mary to see tears in the woman's eyes as she smiled warmly in return.

They both parted ways happy, but Harley's thoughts quickly turned back to Harry. That's where they stayed until the late evening of July 30th when she was called down from her room. She quickly ran down the stairs to the foyer to see the head administrator, Mr. Gold, standing next to a giant man with a face full of messy black beard and black eyes that betrayed the man's intimidation factor. This guy was a softie. No doubt about it.

"Well hello there, Harley. Me name's Rubeus Hagrid, but you can call me Hagrid. Professor McGonagall sent me to pick you up to get your school supplies. We'll be staying the night in London, so go on up and get your things." Hagrid winked at the wide eyed girl and she quickly nodded and ran upstairs to grab some overnight clothes. Hagrid watched the small girl go with a sharp pain in his heart. She looked just like her father. The man's hatred for Sirius Black reached an all time high as he thought about how his actions would affect that little girl's life.

Harley was both ecstatic and nervous. She was going to see Harry again and she couldn't wait! She just hoped he would still love her after he found out about who she was. She quickly gathered some night clothes and an outfit for the following day, as well as Harry's card and cupcake.

She then ran back down the stairs to the waiting Hagrid. "Right then, we best be off."

Harley nodded and looked to Mr. Gold who was just standing there with a dumbfounded expression. Harley raised an eyebrow at the man and waved her goodbyes. When they were out of earshot Hagrid turned the small girl. "Had to place a mild Confundus on your guardian back there. Didn't want to let me take you for the night."

"Confundus?" she asked.

Hagrid grinned at her. "That's right. It's a mild confusion charm. Just allowed us to get out without the man causing a fuss or worrying about you when you're gone. The Dursleys have gone off somewhere, so we've gotta go find 'em."

"Harry Hunting," Harley said sardonically.

"Aye. I didn't get to properly introduce meself back there. I'm the Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts." He then extended his hand to the girl. "Here's your letter. Professer McGonagall said you had a rather emotional notification, and she forgot to give it to you."

Harley opened the letter while Hagrid led them to an abandoned backyard.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Miss Black,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress

When she finished reading she looked up to see Hagrid bring something out of his pocket. He tapped it once and Harley watched the object enlarge into a motorcycle complete with sidecar. "Wicked! Is this a Harley?" she asked.

Hagrid smiled sadly, handing the excited girl a helmet. "Sure is."

She beamed at the giant man before putting the helmet on and jumping into the sidecar. She watched curiously as Hagrid pulled a compass, pink umbrella, blue orb and metal rod out of his jacket. The rod had a dull point on one end and "HOGWARTS" engraved into the side. Hagrid tapped the orb once with the pink umbrella and said "Harry James Potter." The orb began to glow before it floated from Hagrid's hand to the tip of the metal rod where it attached itself. Hagrid then laid the rod on his hand horizontally and said, "Point me." The rod started spinning rapidly for many moments before coming to an abrupt halt. He then consulted the compass with a nod and mounted the motorcycle. It was the most bizarre thing Harley had ever seen.

"What on _earth_ was that all about, Hagrid?"

"Oh, this rod is tied into the magic of Hogwarts. Only a current staff member can use it. It helps us find a new student if their letters don't get to them for some reason. Once they read their letter, the magic breaks and you can't use it to find them anymore. We've never had to use it since I've been at Hogwarts, and that's been awhile now." The man smiled warmly at Harley. "I wonder why Harry hasn't gotten his letter. Maybe the Dursleys went on holiday out of the country and the school owls can't make it to wherever he is. Don't worry, though. We'll find him."

"Owls?" she asked perplexed.

"Sure," he replied. "Owl post. It's how we deliver our mail in the wizarding world."

Harley nodded in response even though this seemed like quite a strange way to deliver mail. She then smiled sadly. She was pretty certain the letter made its way to Harry just fine, but that Vernon Dursley wouldn't let Harry have it.

She jumped a little when Hagrid started the bike. It was rather loud. She was very surprised when instead of directing the bike to the road, he drove through a field behind the house toward an outcropping of trees.

It was very dark back there but Harley wasn't nervous about where Hagrid was taking her. She didn't know why, but she had the feeling he would never do anything to hurt her, purposefully anyway. She would still keep an eye on him as she did with pretty much everyone in her life, but she couldn't help but feel at ease in his presence. Perhaps it was the shear bulk of him coupled with his kind eyes that made her feel safe.

Just before they reached the tree line the bike ascended. Harley quickly gripped onto the sidecar and turned gaping at the large man. "Hagrid! We're flying!"

"Well of course we are, Harley! How else would we travel?"

_Oh, of course, how silly of me. Yes, it would be simply preposterous not to travel via flying motorcycle, _she thought sarcastically. There were definitely a lot of adjustments to be made integrating into this new world.

They continued rising into the sky until they were above the cloud cover. When they broke through Harley gasped. It was beautiful. The stars looked so clear and close she almost felt like she could reach out and touch them. She turned to Hagrid, beaming. "This is brilliant, Hagrid!"

He smiled down at his charge but frowned as he noticed her shiver. "Blimey, Harley! I forgot to tell yeh to bring a coat. You've gotta be freezing!" Hagrid quickly shrugged out of his large overcoat and dumped it on Harley's head. She thought she heard a disgruntled squawking, but she couldn't be sure. She practically drowned under the weight of the large garment.

She managed to get the thing around her body and quickly warmed up. "Thanks Hagrid!"

They didn't say much else while flying through the night. About ever quarter hour Hagrid would have Harley hand him the rod so he could check their direction. The longer they flew the quicker the rod would halt its movements. The last time he checked it the rod didn't even make it a full quarter spin. "Aye, we must be right on top of him. The more the rod spins the farther you are away," he explained, but Harley had already figured it out.

When they lowered under the clouds they entered a raging storm. They were in the middle of the sea; the only land in sight was mostly just a rock with rickety, broken down old hut that looked like it could cave in at any moment.

Hagrid steered the bike in the direction of the rock where the pair landed bumpily. Harley exited the sidecar and watched as Hagrid shrunk the bike to the size of a matchbox car before placing it in his pocket.

He noticed Harley struggling under the weight of his giant coat, so he removed it and placed it back on himself when they were under the cover of the doorstop. He then pulled a watch out of his pocket to check the time. "Ah, right on time. It's just a few minutes to midnight. What do you say we hold out until then? It'll be like a birthday surprise."

Harley nodded her head enthusiastically, bouncing on her toes. Harry was inside this house!

When the second hand struck midnight Hagrid knocked on the door multiple times. This proved to be too much for the dilapidated old door, because it fell forward off its hinges. Hagrid must have made an impressive sight with his bulk taking up the entire doorway. Harley was peeking around his side and saw Harry bolt upright. She giggled and squeezed past the giant man.

"Harry!"

"Harley?" His face broke into a magnificent smile and he opened his arms for the girl that was bounding toward him. He swept his girl into a hug and spun her around happily. He had missed her terribly, and was feeling quite sorry for himself only moments before. He hadn't had a birthday without her since he turned five years old. She'd made sure they saw each other at least for a little while every birthday since they'd met.

"Oh, Happy Birthday Harry! I missed you so much!"

He squeezed her tightly burying his face in the crook of her neck. "I missed you too! And thank you!"

Hagrid smiled at the reunited couple, although he thought they were being a bit melodramatic. They only lived a few streets from each other and surely the Dursleys hadn't been out of town that long. They couldn't have gone more than a week without seeing each other. He just chalked it up to kids being kids, not realizing the pair hadn't seen each other in over two months, or how thoroughly they depended on one another.

Hagrid settled himself in the couch in front of the fireplace practically pushing Dudley off. It was quite humorous for both Harry and Harley to see Dudley running scared for a change.

Harry slipped his hand into Harley's and leaned into her ear. "Who is that guy?"

Harley smiled at him nervously. "He's Hagrid. It's a bit out there; you're not going to believe it. I didn't at first, either. The short version is that we're magical. It's why the strange things happen around us all the time. I'm a witch and you're a wizard." Her smile widened at his dumbstruck expression. "I know it sounds crazy, but the woman who came to see me turned my bed into a turtle before my very eyes." She whispered quickly before kissing his cheek.

He was smiling down at his girl, happy to be in her presence again, magic be damned, when she looked down sadly. "Harry, our parents were magical as well. Professor McGonagall, well, she told me about them. Your parents were brilliant, Harry!"

He was about to respond when their whispered conversation was interrupted by Hagrid. "Harry! Last time I saw you, you was only a baby! Yeh look a lot like yer dad, but yeh've got yer mum's eyes."

Harry's eyes left the girl beside him at these words. This man knew his parents? Suddenly Uncle Vernon started making a funny rasping sound. "I demand you leave at once, sir!" he said. "You are breaking and entering!" Harley snickered at that and Harry smiled down at her. A little B&E never stopped his girl.

"Ah, shut up, Dursley, yeh great prune." Hagrid reached over the sofa and jerked the gun Uncle Vernon was brandishing about out of his hands, easily bending it into a knot and tossing it away.

Uncle Vernon continued to make noises, but Hagrid ignored him. "Anyway, Harry, a very happy birthday to yeh. Got summat fer yeh here – I mighta sat on it at some point, but it'll taste all right."

He pulled a box out of his pocket and handed it over to Harry. Harley also retrieved her bag and pulled out the traditional cupcake as well as the card she'd made him. Hagrid had made Harry a cake with Happy Birthday Harry written in green icing. Harry smiled brilliantly at the man before opening Harley's cupcake and reading her card. He thanked Hagrid and gave his girlfriend a kiss on her cheek, thanking her as well.

"No problem, Harry. Now, I haven't introduced meself. Harley probably told you me name's Rubeus Hagrid. I'm the Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts." Hagrid held out an enormous hand and shook Harry's whole arm.

Hagrid suddenly turned to the fireplace and lit a roaring fire with his pink umbrella before starting on some tea and sausages. No one spoke while the giant man worked, but Dudley fidgeted like he was eager to pounce on the sausages.

When Hagrid was finished he split a half dozen sausages between the two children. Harry was clearly starved so Harley let him have hers, insisting that she wasn't hungry. Harry ate them eagerly, still staring at Hagrid. "I'm sorry, but I still don't know who you are."

"Well, like I told yeh, I'm Keeper of Keys at Hogwarts – yeh'll know all about Hogwarts, o'course."

"Er – no," said Harry. "Sorry," Harry added at the shocked look on Hagrid's face.

"Sorry?" barked Hagrid, turning to stare at the Dursleys and Harley who shrank back. Harry didn't like the way he was looking at her so he placed himself in front of her. "It's them as should be sorry! I knew yeh weren't getting' yer letters but I never thought yeh wouldn't even know abou' Hogwarts, fer cryin' out loud! Harley? You've known about this since your birthday! Why didn't you say anything to Harry? McGonagall told me you'd refused to go to the school unless Harry attended!"

Harry cocked his head to the side. "She couldn't have possibly known since her birthday. She would have told me."

Hagrid was about to respond but Harley cut him off. "Apparently my birthday is actually June 8th, and I have known since then." She quickly glanced at the Dursleys before whispering in Harry's ear. "I wanted to come tell you, but McGonagall told me they'd be doing your notification on your birthday. Mary told me how much trouble you were in and I didn't want to risk getting caught. I was afraid it would just make everything worse. I didn't know what to do. I'm sorry."

Harry turned around and pulled her into a hug. He was worried. Harley was acting very strangely and he knew something was bothering her. Something serious, if only he knew how spot on that observation was. "Hey, I understand," he whispered back. "You were right, if you got caught he probably would have had you arrested. I'm glad you didn't risk it. Did you really tell them you wouldn't go without me?"

She nodded her head as it rested on his shoulder. "Of course I wouldn't go anywhere without you Harry. I love you. More than _anything_. You know that right?"

Harry nodded his head in acknowledgment. He did know that. "I love you too, Harley."

Hagrid cleared his throat to regain the kids' attention. "Harry, did yeh never wonder where yer parents learned it all?"

"All what?" asked Harry.

"ALL WHAT?" Hagrid thundered. "Now wait jus' one second!" Hagrid leapt to his feet and Harry pushed Harley behind him. Hagrid's anger seemed to fill the whole hut. The Dursleys were cowering against the wall.

"Do you mean ter tell me," he growled at the Dursleys, "that this boy – this boy! – knows nothin' abou' – about ANYTHING?"

"Hey!" Harley interjected from behind Harry. "Harry is one of the brightest people I know! He only dumbs down his grades so he doesn't get in trouble for doing better than Dudley!"

The Dursleys glared at the small girl, Harry grinned at her goofily and Hagrid paused for a moment before simply waving his hand. "About our world, I mean. Your world. My world. Harley's world. Yer parent's world."

"What world?"

Hagrid looked as if he was about to explode. "DURSLEY!" he boomed.

Harley leaned on her tip toes to whisper in Harry's ear. "He means the magical world, Harry."

Harry nodded uncertainly before looking over to Uncle Vernon who had gone very pale, whispering something that sounded like "Mimblewimble." It made Harry and Harley snicker, but Hagrid stared wildly at Harry.

"But yeh must know about yer mum and dad," he said. "I mean, they're famous. You're famous."

"What? My – my mum and dad weren't famous, were they?" He looked behind him at Harley who had sorrow written clear on her face. "Oh Harry," she said, snaking her arms around his waist to hug him from behind. He could feel her whole body trembling. "It's awful. McGonagall told me some of the things that happened."

"Yeh don' know…yeh don' know…" Hagrid ran his fingers through his hair, fixing Harry with a bewildered stare. "Yeh don' know what yeh are?" he asked finally.

Uncle Vernon suddenly found his voice. "Stop!" he commanded. "Stop right there, sir! I forbid you to tell the boy anything!"

"Harley's just told me I'm a wizard if that's what you mean. I just don't really know what that means. She said it's something to do with the strange things that happen around us sometimes."

A braver man than Vernon Dursley would have quailed under the furious look Hagrid now gave him; when Hagrid spoke, his every syllable trembled with rage. "You never told him? Never told him what was in the letter Dumbledore left fer him? I was there! I saw Dumbledore leave it, Dursley! An' you've kept it from him all these years?"

Vernon was glaring maliciously at the girl standing behind his nephew. How dare she tell him that nonsense!

"So I'm a wizard?"

"O' course," said Hagrid, sitting back down on the sofa, which groaned and sank even lower, "an' a thumpin' good'un, I'd say, once yeh've trained up a bit. With a mum an' dad like yours, what else would yeh be? An' I reckon it's abou' time yeh read yer letter."

Harry stretched out his hand at last to take the yellowish envelope, addressed in emerald green to:

Mr. H. Potter,

The Floor,

Hut-on-the-Rock,

The Sea.

He pulled out the letter and read:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Mr. Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress

Harry looked to Harley, "Remind me to tell you about all the letters I've been receiving, it's quite funny. Uncle Vernon always took them from me before I could read them."

Harley smiled at Harry anxiously, which caused Harry's stomach to churn. "What is it, Harley? Please just tell me."

"It's what McGonagall told me about your parents, Harry. About how they died, how you could have – " Her voiced started breaking up as tears filled her eyes. "You could have died, Harry." She finished, the tears spilling down her cheeks.

"What do you mean?" he asked, gently wiping the tears from her eyes. "My parents died in a car crash."

"CAR CRASH!" roared Hagrid, jumping up so angrily that the Dursleys scuttled back to their corner. Harry again pushed Harley behind him. He didn't think the man would hurt her, but he wasn't willing to risk it. "How could a car crash kill Lily an' James Potter? It's an outrage! A scandal! Harry Potter not knowin' his own story when every kid in our world knows his name!"

"But why? What happened?"

The anger faded from Hagrid's face. He looked suddenly anxious. "I never expected this," he said, in a low, worried voice. "I had no idea, when Dumbledore told me there might be trouble getting' hold of yeh, how much yeh didn't know. Ah, Harry, I don't know if I'm the right person ter tell yeh – but someone's gotta – yeh can't go off ter Hogwarts not knowin'."

He threw a dirty look at the Dursleys. "Well, it's best yeh know as much as I can tell yeh – mind, I can't tell yeh everythin', it's a great myst-ry, parts of it…"

He sat down, staring into the fire. Harry turned to Harley and took her hands into his. "I want you to tell me what you know. Please, I can see that it's going to be bad. I want to hear it from you."

Harley looked into Harry's anxious eyes and nodded her head. "Please correct me if I get any of it wrong, Hagrid. I only know the little bit Professor McGonagall told me."

Hagrid nodded his head in ascent, seemingly glad to have had the burden removed from his shoulders. Harley led Harry over to the recliner and the pair sat down, facing each other. "Well, there was this evil man. McGonagall wouldn't tell me his name, she just kept calling him 'He Who Must Not Be Named'. Hagrid, can you tell us his name?"

"Well – I don' like sayin' the name if I can help it. No one does."

"Why not?" Harry asked.

"Gulpin gargoyles, Harry, people are scared still. Blimey, this wizard went…bad. As bad as you can go. Worse. Worse than worse. His name was…" Hagrid gulped but no words came out.

"Could you write it down?" Harry suggested.

"Nah – can't spell it. All right – Voldemort." Hagrid shuddered, but Harry and Harley snorted.

"What kind of silly name is that?" Harry asked.

Harley shrugged her shoulders. "He might have a silly name, Harry, but the man was a monster. He…" Harley started crying and Harry put his arm around her, pulling her into his side.

"Please just say it, Harley. I need to know."

"He murdered your parents, Harry. Then he tried to murder you. It's how you got your scar." Harry gasped and pulled his girl closer to him.

"What? Why?" he croaked.

Harley was crying into the boy's neck, her body trembling. "He…He thinks that wizards should rule the world, or something, and that only magical people who are born to other magical people have the right to use magic. Everyone else is scum in his eyes and he waged a war to try and bring Britain under his control. From what I gathered from McGonagall he was similar to Hitler. He believed that the Purebloods, as they call themselves, are a superior race. They would torture and kill people like it was nothing, Harry. Men, women and children, it didn't matter to them. They just saw it as exterminating vermin. Oh, it's all so awful," she sobbed.

"Your parents, Harry, they fought against him. They believed that everyone was equal and that any person born with magic was worthy of it. Your dad was a Pureblood, but he didn't believe he was superior to anyone else because of it." She gave him a weak smile that he tried to return. He was completely enraptured by the story. "Voldemort's people called people like him blood traitors, because they didn't believe in their own superiority. It's utter rubbish. Your mum, McGonagall told me she was a brilliant witch, extremely smart and powerful."

"Aye, McGonagall was right, Harry. Never met no one kinder than your mum and she was a thumping good witch." Hagrid interjected.

Harry smiled with a faraway look in his eyes before gesturing for Harley to continue. "Well, your mum was what they call a muggleborn, or first generation witch. She was the only person in her family who was magical."

Harry interrupted, turning toward his Aunt Petunia. "You knew?"

"Knew!" shrieked Aunt Petunia suddenly. "Knew! Of course I knew! Oh, she got a letter just like that, and disappeared off to that - that school - and came home every vacation with her pockets full of frog spawn, turning teacups into rats. I was the only one who saw her for what she was - a freak!"

"Shut up!" Harley stood, yelling at the vile horse-faced woman. "Just shut up! Harry is not a freak and neither was his mum!" Harley felt that funny feeling inside that she always felt before something strange happened, which she now knew was her magic reacting to her emotions. The woman went to respond to the little brat when her teeth suddenly grew so large she couldn't close her mouth. They looked like…horse teeth. Dudley then whimpered and pointed to her rear end. She quickly turned around and looked over her shoulder to see a horse's tail.

Harry barked out a laugh at his aunt's horrified expression. The three Dursleys proceeded to scramble through the bedroom door, the lock sliding into place audibly. "That was brilliant, Harley!"

Harley blushed and turned back to Harry. Hagrid's beard was twitching. "We'll have to get the magical reversal team to your aunt tomorrow." Hagrid mumbled, clearly amused.

Harry's tone sobered as he pulled her back into his side and gestured for Harley to continue. "So my mother was a muggleborn?"

Harley cleared her throat and nodded. "Right. She was a muggleborn and she and your father were part of the resistance against Voldemort and his followers." Both children ignored the way Hagrid flinched every time Harley said Voldemort's name.

"Well, for some reason Voldemort was after your parents. They were powerful enemies, so they knew they were a target. He'd usually just send his followers, but Voldemort went after them himself. He…He killed your parents with a curse known as The Killing Curse. It's supposed to be quick and painless." She squeezed his hand. "I know that doesn't make it hurt any less, but at least you know they didn't suffer."

Harry nodded his head absently. He was glad they weren't tortured before they were killed. She cleared her throat again, tears steadily streaming down her cheeks. "Um…after he killed them, he…he…he turned his wand on you, Harry. He hit you with The Killing Curse, but it rebounded off your forehead and hit Voldemort. That's how you got your scar. That's why you're famous."

Something very painful was going on in Harry's mind. As Harley's story came to a close, he saw again the blinding flash of green light, more clearly than he had ever remembered it before, as this had been a recurring nightmare – and he remembered something else, for the first time in his life: a high, cold, cruel laugh. Harry took a shuddering breath. "So…Voldemort…he's dead then?"

Harley shook her head sadly. "Professor McGonagall doesn't think so. Said there wasn't enough human in him to die, whatever that means. She thinks he's out there somewhere, trying to regain his power."

"I think she's right, Harry. He disappeared. Vanished. Same night he tried to kill you. Makes yeh even more famous. That's the biggest myst'ry, see…he was getting more an' more powerful. – why'd he go? Some do think he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Most of us reckon he's still out there somewhere but lost his powers. Too weak to carry on. 'Cause somethin' about you finished him, Harry. There was somethin' goin' on that night he hadn't counted on – I dunno what it was, no one does – but somethin' about you stumped him, all right."

Hagrid looked at the boy warmly. He was clearly overwhelmed. "It's gettin' late and we've got lots ter do tomorrow," said Hagrid loudly. "Gotta get up ter town, get all yer books an' all that." He again took off his coat and threw it to Harry and Harley. "You can kip under that," he said. "Don' mind if it wriggles a bit, I think I still got a couple o' dormice in one o' the pockets."

Harry and Harley leaned back in the recliner and pulled the coat over them. Harley laid her head on Harry's shoulder and he put his arm around her. They could hear Hagrid's snores after a few minutes.

"Harry, I need to tell you about my parents. I – " Harry could feel hot tears on his skin as she burrowed her face into his neck. "I, just, please don't hate me, Harry! I couldn't stand it if you did!" she whispered brokenly and he could feel her whole body trembling violently.

"Hey, hey," he tried to soothe, rubbing her back gently. "How could I possibly hate you? You're my fiancé, after all," he tried to lighten the mood, but the trembling just increased at his words.

He started panicking, what could possibly be so bad after everything else she'd told him? "You can tell me anything, Harley. It's just you and me, like always. Nothing will change us, I promise."

She was holding onto Harry tightly as she tried to get the words out. "My mum…she was…she was killed by Voldemort, too. Personally. He did it himself. She was a muggleborn, like your mum." Harry held her tighter but didn't dare speak. There was clearly more and he didn't want to make whatever she had to tell him more difficult.

"My father…he…well, McGonagall said he was…that he was one of Voldemort's followers. High up in the ranks, she said."

Harry was quiet for a many moments, lost in thought. He was abruptly brought out of his contemplations by the spasming girl in his arms. "You hate me, don't you?" she whispered with so much anguish in her voice that Harry felt his heart break for her.

"Of course not, Harley. I could _never_ hate you. Not ever. You're everything to me. I'm sorry if I made you think I did. I was just thinking, is all. It doesn't really make sense, does it? Do you believe what McGonagall said? I personally don't see how anyone who could produce someone as wonderful as you could possibly be one of Voldemort's soldiers."

Harley felt like her heart would burst with love for Harry in that moment. Not only did he not hate her because her father was believed to have been one of Voldemort's soldiers, but he questioned the validity of the claims, just as she had.

Without thinking Harley cupped Harry's face and kissed him full on the mouth. It was just a little peck really, two pairs of lips pressed against each other innocently, but it was their first real kiss. They'd pecked each other on the cheek, hugged and held hands often, but they'd never kissed on the mouth.

Harley pulled back, blushing. She'd basically just assaulted him. "Sorry," she whispered.

"No. Don't be sorry. Never be sorry for something like that." He grinned cheekily at her and she giggled, feeling as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

"Thank you," she breathed, and Harry finally felt her body relax against him. "And I don't know what I believe. I want to do more research about my father. McGonagall wouldn't really tell me much about him, only that he was supposedly Voldemort's right hand man. But why would he marry and have a child with a muggleborn then? There are easier way s to get information if that's what he was after. McGonagall kept mumbling 'Potter and Black' over and over. I got the feeling our parents knew each other. Oh!" At his confused expression she realized she'd forgot to mention her name. "My name is Harley Black. It's a bit bittersweet, you know. I finally have a name, but it's the name of a bunch of sadistic bigots. What if it's true, Harry?" She asked, voice trembling. "What if my father is who everyone thinks he is?"

"It doesn't matter, Harley. You are your own person. A great person, as a matter of fact. The best." He kissed her forehead and she smiled up at him. "We'll figure it out, though, I promise."

Harley nodded her head gratefully, her body sagging tiredly against Harry. She'd worked herself up over this so much in the past few weeks and now Harry knew everything she did. He took the news far better than she could have ever hoped for and now she just felt tired. So tired.

Harry noticed her exhaustion and pulled her to him tightly. "Get some sleep, sweet girl, we can talk about this tomorrow."

She just barely inclined her head before falling into a deep sleep, Harry following soon after.

A/N:

Firstly, let me thank my reviewers. I got some really nice ones last chapter that put a massive smile on my face. Thanks!

Amontthestarsx, Mynet, LightningStar O.o, bleacher, Mini Luna, Naginator, and Kami no Kage

You guys rock my socks!

I am not typically going to try and spell out Hagrid's dialect. Most of his dialogue when he meets Harry is directly from the book, so that will be spelled the way JK spells it, but going forward, and in other places, I'll spell most things correctly. This scene follows the book pretty closely, but this isn't going to be one of those stories that reads pretty much exactly as the book does with minor changes for an OC, not that I dislike those stories. There will be quite a bit of deviation going forward.

Up next: Diagon Alley!

Thanks for reading! Please let me know what you think!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four:

The children woke the next morning to a persistent tapping. They looked around the hut to see an owl tapping his beak against the window. Harry looked at Harley bemusedly.

"Hagrid told me wizards use owls to deliver their mail."

"How odd."

"I thought so, too. Let's go let it in."

Harry nodded his head and the pair made their way over to the window. As soon as Harry lifted the pane the owl swooped in, dropping the paper on top of Hagrid.

"Five more minutes," Hagrid grumbled sleepily, causing Harry and Harley to burst into giggles.

"Hagrid," Harry began. "There's an owl."

"He'll just want paying, you can get the money out of my coat. Five of the little bronze ones."

Harry complied and started searching the many pockets for the coins. After giving the bird the coins it flew back out into the fresh morning air. The two children ran to the window to watch it fly away, smiling madly.

"This is so exciting," Harry whispered to Harley, entwining their fingers. It felt so good to have her near him again.

"I know," she whispered back, squeezing his hand.

They heard shuffling behind them and turned to see Hagrid hauling his large body off the sofa. The poor piece of furniture would never be the same again. He picked up his coat and put it on before turning to his charges. "Alright, you two. We best be off. Lots to buy."

"How are we getting back, Hagrid?" Harry asked when the stepped outside. Hagrid was walking to a rowboat attached to a small dock on the side of the rock.

"We'll take the boat."

Harley protested, "No! I want Harry to ride the bike! We can both fit in the sidecar!"

Hagrid shifted his weight uncomfortably. "Well, I was given permission to do magic to get to Harry, you see, but technically, I'm not allowed to do magic. Plus we don't have the cover of night to block out the bike, Harley."

"Why can't you do magic?" both children asked simultaneously.

"Never mind that you two." Hagrid replied. He hefted himself into the boat and both children snickered at the way his end sunk into the water almost to the brim of the boat. They followed after him, settling themselves in the opposite side. It did little to counter Hagrid's weight. He eyed the oars, looking around quickly. "It'd be a shame to row all the way back the muggle way, though. You two won't mention it if I use a bit of magic, would ya?"

They both shook their heads furiously. "We won't tell anyone!" they both vowed, eager to see more magic.

Hagrid smiled and charmed the oars to row the boat themselves which thoroughly impressed both children. "Hey Hagrid? Do you think you could give Harry a ride on the motorcycle some other time? I know he'd love it."

Hagrid pulled out the morning paper and opened it up while smiling at the young girl. "We'll see. Maybe we can take her out over the Christmas hols if you two decide to stay."

Both children nodded excitedly and Hagrid began reading his paper, grinning at their enthusiasm. While he was busy reading, Harley told Harry all about how they found him and arrived to his rescue on a flying motorbike.

Harry was smiling happily during her story and afterward told her all about the hundreds of letters he'd received before his uncle went mad and dragged them to the middle of the sea. He thought it was brilliant that they found him anyway. Harley thought it was especially amusing how 24 letters made their way into the house hidden inside the two dozen eggs delivered one morning.

They were both giggling merrily by the time they reached the mainland. Hagrid informed them that they would be taking the underground since they couldn't use magic. As they walked to the terminal both children snickered at Hagrid as he pointed out perfectly normal things in wonder, such as a parking meter and traffic signals.

Just before they made it to the stairs leading to the underground the trio passed a souvenir shop and Harley had an idea. "One moment! I'll be right back!" she shouted as she sprinted gracefully into the small open shop.

She returned after a few minutes carrying a grey baseball cap adorned with the British flag. She placed the hat low over Harry's forehead. "To hide the famous scar," she explained at their bewildered faces.

Harry smiled beatifically and pulled his thoughtful girlfriend into a hug. She knew he would hate having people stare at him if he truly was as famous as Hagrid said. "I was thinking we should come up with code names as well," Harley informed enthusiastically. "I imagine if people hear the name Harry they'll wonder if it's you under the hat. I'll be Mary. What do you want your name to be?"

Harry thought about it for a minute before shrugging. "How about Daniel?"

"Works for me," responded Harley, turning to Hagrid. "Got that, Hagrid? I'm Mary and Harry's Daniel."

Hagrid looked at the two kids as if he'd never seen them before. "Why on earth wouldn't you want people to know who you are, Harry? People's been looking forward to your return to the wizarding world since you was a baby! Blimey, Harry! You're the Boy Who Lived!"

Harry looked down, but Harley's eyes narrowed at the giant man. Honestly, she thought, how can he not understand? It's so obvious. She felt Harry's hand slip into hers, giving her a squeeze. She knew this was Harry's silent plea for her to answer for him.

"Hagrid," said Harley slowly. "They call Harry the Boy Who Lived…do they give a second thought to those that didn't? Maybe Harry doesn't want to be famous for something that made him an orphan…did you ever think of that?" said Harley, not unkindly.

Harry squeezed her hand again and Harley knew she'd found the right words. Hagrid seemed taken aback. "Blimey Harry, I never really thought of it that way." He seemed very upset, so Harry tried to lighten the mood a bit.

"That's Daniel, to you Hagrid," said Harry, smiling cheekily which caused Harley to giggle. Their antics seemed to ease Hagrid's tension and he smiled at the pair.

"Right then Daniel, Mary, we best be off." He turned toward the terminal steps, the two children skipping after him with wide smiles on their faces.

Hagrid made quite a sight on the London Underground. He took up two seats and passed the time knitting some yellow…something. Neither child was really quite sure, but it garnered a lot of attention. Especially after half the people on the train saw Hagrid struggle with the muggle money at the turnstile.

After exiting the train Harley and Harry followed Hagrid hand in hand as he maneuvered through the morning foot traffic. He was like Moses parting the red sea, and the two kids were able to simply follow in his wake.

They entered a dingy old pub called The Leaky Cauldron. It was a dark and rather depressing looking establishment so Harry put his arm around Harley's waist and pulled her closer to him. The bartender looked up and recognized Hagrid, greeting him jovially. This lessened the children's tension, but Harry still held his girl close.

Hagrid begged off a drink claiming "Hogwart's business" and the trio made their way out to the back of the pub. There was a small courtyard leading up to a brick wall. Hagrid pulled out his pink umbrella and tapped a particular brick three times. Harry and Harley watched in amazement as the bricks melted to form an archway leading to the most fascinating sight they'd every seen, and they'd just seen a brick wall melt into an archway.

Harry went back to holding Harley's hand as they pointed sights out to each other. There were owls, bats, cauldrons, broomsticks, telescopes, potion ingredients and much more. There were witches and wizards everywhere in robes of all colors. It was like stepping into a fantasy land and both children were excited for their new adventure.

Hagrid led them to a bank called Gringotts. Both children were intrigued by the small creatures standing guard outside the doors. Hagrid informed the pair that the beings were goblins. Both Harry and Harley smiled and waved at the guards as made their way into the bank. Neither noticed the goblins' slightly raised eyebrows in response to the action.

Hagrid led them to an open teller and quietly informed the goblin that they needed to visit Harry Potter and Harley Black's vaults as well as vault 713. At his declaration Hagrid passed the goblin a letter which was labeled "Confidential". The goblin read the letter and responded with a curt nod.

He then asked for the keys to the kids' vaults. Hagrid had Harry's key, but he didn't have the Black vault key.

"I will need a drop of your blood to confirm your identity, Miss Black," the goblin informed, leaning over the counter to eye her skeptically.

Harry seemed upset at this, but Harley was fine. She appreciated a certain level of skepticism in a person, especially if they were in charge of guarding her fortune. She didn't want any old person coming through the bank claiming to be her and stealing all her money.

So, before Harry could protest the young girl responded to the teller. "Of course, sir. I appreciate your diligence in keeping my vault protected." The goblin attempted to mask his surprise at the girl's response as she turned to Hagrid. "Mind lifting me up, Hagrid?"

Hagrid easily lifted the small girl up to the counter's height and she quickly extended her hand. The goblin eyed her curiously as he made a small cut on her finger and allowed the blood to drip on a parchment imbued with identification potion. Harley watched, amazed, as the name "Harley Lillian Black" appeared in elegant script on the middle of the parchment.

When Hagrid set her back down, Harley turned to Harry. "Harry, my middle name is Lillian. I wonder if it has anything to do with your mum."

"Well she was – " the goblin began, but was quickly cut off by Hagrid.

"Alright, now that that's settled we'll need to be making it down to the vaults. We've got a busy day, you two," he said loudly.

Harry and Harley narrowed their eyes at the man. He was obviously trying to keep something from them, and they didn't like it. Harley could see that Harry was about to protest, so she slipped her hand in his and gave him a squeeze. He understood her silent request and kept mum, eying her curiously.

The teller had called another goblin named Griphook. He would be their guide down to their vaults. Hagrid set off after him and the two followed. With Hagrid's back turned Harry raised a questioning eyebrow at the girl beside him.

"We're going to have to come back without him. There's got to be a reason he didn't want the goblin to finish his sentence. I think it's best that we let him continue to believe we're in the dark," she whispered.

Harry agreed with this logic but had concerns. "I don't want you to come back here by yourself and there's no way my aunt and uncle will let me come with you."

Harley looked at him like he was completely insane. "Harry, you're not going back to the Dursleys. No way in hell."

Harry was shocked by her proclamation. "But…where will I go?"

Harley rolled her eyes at her dense boyfriend. "Where will _we_ go, Harry," she corrected. "McGonagall told me I had a fortune in my vault. No way are we going back to the orphanage and cupboard under the stairs if we have other options."

Harry smiled widely at his brilliant girlfriend. "They actually gave me Dudley's second bedroom," he informed. "But I don't want to stay there either."

Their whispered conversation was interrupted by Griphook before Harley could respond. "This cart will take us down to the vaults. Please get in."

Both children scrambled into the cart with a "Thank you, sir." Hagrid hefted his bulk into the cart next, followed quickly by Griphook. The cart then took off at a breakneck speed and yells of glee erupted from the two children who'd never before experienced a roller coaster. Hagrid didn't seem to share their enthusiasm and began turning a sickly shade of green.

The cart came to an abrupt halt and Griphook exited claiming, "Vault 687, Potter Trust Vault." Harry and Harley were dying to ask if there was another Potter vault, but both decided it was best to inquire without Hagrid present. They had doubts about him after he cut the teller off earlier.

Harry exited the cart pulling Harley with him. "Key please," said Griphook. Harry handed him the vault key and Griphook opened the door. Both children stared at the piles of gold in shock. "Looks like you have a fortune, too, Harry," Harley whispered.

He nodded his head dumbly. He'd been living in the cupboard under the stairs at his horrible relatives' house when he had all this gold available to him? His thoughts went back to what Hagrid yelled at the Dursleys back in the Hut-on-the-Rock. He'd said he was there when some Dumbledore person left him with a note for his aunt. Who was he and what right did he have to place him in that horrible home?

Harry angrily turned to Harley, wanting her opinion. He could see that she was dealing with her own anger and concluded that she was having similar thoughts. She turned to him sharply. "Dumbledore?" was all she said. Harry nodded and they shared a look that clearly said _We'll talk about this later._

Harry accepted the bag offered by Griphook and swept some gold into it while the goblin explained the value of the different coins. With his money collected the group trouped back into the cart.

The cart took a much longer journey this time, going through vast cave after vast cave. Harry and Harley thought they may have even seen a dragon at one point, but Hagrid had hauled then back into the cart by the scruff of their necks when they tried to bend over the side to see it.

They eventually came to another sudden stop and Griphook exited saying, "Vault Seven Hundred and Thirteen." He placed his finger on the vault door and slowly ran it down the length, causing the door to simply vanish. Both children peered into the vault to see Hagrid collect its only contents. It was a grubby little package about two inches in diameter.

"It's just a small little package," Harry whispered to Harley bemusedly.

"Hey!" she whispered with mock indignation. "Good things can come in small packages you know; I'm proof enough of that," she grinned cheekily.

Harry chuckled, "I can't argue with that logic, my sweet," he replied, kissing her cheek.

The two then broke down into giggles drawing raised eyebrows from both Hagrid and Griphook. The latter then walked two vaults down. "Vault Seven Hundred and Eleven. Black Family Vault," he called out.

Griphook again slid his finger down the length of the door. It didn't vanish, however. Instead a keyhole appeared in the middle of the door. He then passed Harley the newly fashioned key. "Only a Black can open the vault, Miss."

Harley nodded and inserted the key into the hole. It turned with a soft click and both children gasped audibly this time. The vault was HUGE! There was gold piled everywhere and the vault seemed to be comprised of multiple rooms. There were also weapons, jewelry, trunks, artwork and much much more.

She turned to Harry, wide-eyed. He looked just as astonished as she did. Griphook offered the shocked girl a bag like Harry's and she slowly reached a trembling hand to accept it. "I wouldn't recommend touching anything but the gold, Miss Black. There could be dark or cursed items in here."

Harley nodded quickly in agreement and swept a fair amount of gold into the bag before returning to the landing outside the vault. Harry took her hand, and gently led her back to the cart. "It's still you and me, Harley. Everything around us can change, but that never will," Harry whispered.

Harley smiled gratefully at the boy who always seemed to understand how she felt and knew exactly what he needed to say in order to calm her down. The ride back to the bank proper was a quiet one, both children contemplating the changes in their lives.

Before Hagrid could usher the pair out of the bank, Harley turned back and sank to one knee in front of Griphook. She wanted to be on his level so she could speak quietly without Hagrid hearing, but the goblin seemed quite shocked.

She ignored this and reached her hand out to shake his. "It was nice to meet you, Griphook. Thank you for showing me and Harry to our vaults." She spoke quietly. Her voice lowered another octave as she spoke her request. "Would it be possible for me and Harry to come back to the bank without an escort? We have some questions about our finances."

"Of course." Griphook understood what the child was trying to say without actually having to say it. He reached into his pocket and pulled out one of the portkeys every goblin keeps in the event they need to provide them for customers. "This is called a portkey," he explained quietly. "It will bring you and anyone else touching it back to the bank when you say the password, which is 'Chariot'. There will be a two galleon charge for this service, which will be charged to your vault." They were still shaking hands, so Griphook slid the portkey into her hand discreetly by cupping her hand with both of his before letting it go.

Harley stood, smiling at the goblin. "Thanks again, Griphook!" she exclaimed before turning back to Hagrid and Harry, the former eying her skeptically.

"What was that about, Harley?" he asked.

"Oh, I just wanted to thank Griphook for showing us to our vaults. I was also telling him how brilliant the cart ride was. I could have sworn we'd passed a dragon, so I was asking him about it."

"Oh, what did he say about the dragon, then?"

This wasn't Harley's first rodeo, so if Hagrid thought he was going to trip her up he was sorely mistaken. "Oh, he told me the bank's security measures are confidential and explained that he couldn't tell me anything about what they do to protect the vaults." She threw in the innocent look she'd perfected years ago for good measure.

Hagrid accepted this explanation and turned to leave the bank. Harry grabbed her hand, smirking. _You're so bad, _he mouthed. She just smiled smugly as they followed him out.

They went to Madam Malkin's first to get their robes. Hagrid begged off for a drink, claiming he needed something to settle his stomach after the wild cart ride. The pair was greeted by a pleasant witch who told them to go to the back of the shop so they could be fitted for their robes.

There was a blond boy already back there for his fitting. He was pale with white blond hair and a mean, pointed face. Harley decided she didn't like him before he even spoke one word to her. He just had an air about him that told her he thought he was better than everyone else.

He noticed their joined hands and eyed them curiously. "Hello," he greeted. "Hogwarts, too?"

They both nodded. The boy seemed to be eying Harley with interest, much to Harry's annoyance. He helped her up the footstool furthest from the boy and took the middle stool for himself.

The boy started drawling on annoyingly. He reminded Harry of Dudley's attitude as he was going on and on about what his father was going to buy him and how he should be able to bring a broom to school even though first years weren't allowed.

He started asking them a bunch of questions about which house they would be in and their quidditch team. Neither Harry nor Harley had any clue what the boy was talking about. Harley completely ignored him while Harry gave one word monotonous answers.

Hagrid returned with ice creams for the three of them and both Harry and Harley smiled and waved. "Who is that brute? Do you know him?" the annoying boy asked.

"Yes. That's Hagrid. He works at Hogwarts; he brought us here to get our supplies."

"Why? Where are your parents?"

Both children responded that their parents were dead. Harley didn't want to get into the whole, "My father is in Azkaban" thing.

"Are you siblings, then?" he asked.

"No," answered Harry.

"Were your parents our kind?"

Harry and Harley glanced at each other briefly. "They were witches and wizards if that's what you mean."

The boy then revealed himself as a bigot, yet to be determined if he was of the sadistic variety. He started spouting off at the mouth and both Harry and Harley went back to ignoring him. Suddenly the boy stopped and leaned forward to eye Harley some more.

Harry raised a questioning eyebrow, "What are you doing?"

The boy ignored Harry and spoke directly to Harley. "You girl. You look familiar. What is your surname?"

Harry glared at the boy and was about to respond when they were rescued by the seamstress. "That's you two done."

"Thank you," they said simultaneously, eager to get away from the boy.

"I'll see you at Hogwarts, I suppose," the boy called after them, watching Harry practically drag Harley out of the store.

They were quiet when they ate their ice cream. "What's up?" Hagrid asked.

"There was a boy in the robe shop asking us all these questions and we had no idea what he was talking about. Plus I didn't like the way he was eying Harley."

Hagrid chuckled. "You're gonna have to get used that that, Ha – er…Daniel. You've got a very pretty girl, there. And what was the boy asking you about?"

Harry scowled. He didn't want other boys eying his girl. Harley slipped her hand into his and leaned in to whisper in his ear. "You and me, Harry. Always."

He squeezed her hand in thanks. He still didn't like it, though. Harley decided to leave Harry to his brooding and answer Hagrid's question. "He said something about Slytherin and Hufflepuff, and asked who we follow in quidditch. We have no idea what he was talking about."

"Blimey, I forgot how little you two know." They were both scowling now. "It's the wizarding sport. There are four balls and it's played on brooms. It's hard to explain. Hufflepuff and Slytherin are school houses. There's not a witch or wizards whose gone bad who wasn't in Slytherin. You-Know-Who was one."

"Voldemort went to Hogwarts?" they asked simultaneously causing Hagrid to flinch violently and quickly look around the Alley.

"Shhh! Don't say his name! And yes, years and years ago."

They contemplated this development as they made their way to Flourish and Blotts to get their school books. Harry was looking at a book on pranks and curses with interest. After running into the blonde headed git he thought he might need them. Hagrid noticed this and led Harry away, telling him he wouldn't be skilled enough to use any of the spells for a few years anyway. Harry planned to come back for it later.

Harley picked up her school books as well as a book called _Hogwarts, A History_, a book chronicling the war against Voldemort and a book called _Quidditch through the Ages_.

After leaving the bookstore the trio meandered around the Alley picking up all the items on their supplies list. The pair was excited when the only item remaining was their wands. That is what they'd both been looking forward to since they arrived.

"Before we go get your wands I need to get Daniel's birthday present. I was thinking about a pet, Daniel. You're allowed to bring an owl, cat or toad. What do you think?"

Harry stammered for a moment, telling Hagrid it wasn't necessary. "I know it's not necessary, but I want to."

Deciding on an owl, the trio made their way over to Eelyops Owl Emporium. There were hundreds of owls of all colors, shapes and sizes. Harry saw a beautiful snowy owl and decided upon her. He left the store beaming, his new pet in one hand and his girl's hand in the other. It was his best birthday _ever_, and now he was going to get a magic wand!

They finally made it over to Ollivander's, whose sign proclaimed them to be Makers of Fine Wands Since 382 BC. When they entered the small dusty shop both Harry and Harley felt a strange prickling on the back of their necks. Both children were looking around at the thousands of narrow boxes stacked up all around the store when they heard a soft voice, "Good afternoon!"

Both children jumped, as did Hagrid, which caused the spindly chair he was sitting on to make a violent crunching sound.

"Hello," both children said uncertainly, gripping each other's hand tightly. The way the man was examining Harry was…unnerving.

"Ah yes," he said. "Yes, yes. I thought I'd I'd be seeing you soon. Harry Potter." It wasn't a question. "You have your mother's eyes. It seems only yesterday she was in here herself buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work."

Mr. Ollivander was moving toward Harry unblinkingly. "Your father, on the other hand, favored a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favored it - it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course."

Mr. Ollivander had come so close that he and Harry were almost nose to nose. Harry could see himself reflected in his silver, misty eyes. "And that's where..." Mr. Ollivander lifted the hat off Harry's head and touched the lightning scar on his forehead with a long, white finger.

"I'm sorry to say I sold the wand that did it," he said softly. "Thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful, and in the wrong hands... well, if I'd known what that wand was going out into the world to do..."

He shook his head and then spotted Harley. Harry was happy to have the focus off himself but didn't really want Harley to suffer under his attentions either. "Harley Black," the man said surprised, his eyes darting to their joined hands. "That is unexpected." He opened his mouth to continue, but Hagrid drew his attention with a cleared throat.

The two then had a conversation about Hagrid being expelled from school and having his wand snapped. The conversation topic made the giant man shuffle his feet nervously. He insisted that he didn't use the pieces of his wand, but both Harry and Harley had a sneaking suspicion that the pieces were now residing in his pink umbrella and that he did in fact use them with some regularity.

All too soon Mr. Ollivander had his attention back on the children, but luckily this time he didn't scrutinize them quite so closely. He started shuffling through boxes while a measurement tape took the oddest measurements over the both of them.

They had been through a few dozen boxes by the time something happened. Mr. Ollivander placed a ten-and-a-quarter inch Blackthorn wand into Harry's hand. Ollivander claimed that it was bendy with a phoenix feather core. Nothing happened until he plucked it from Harry and placed it in Harley's hand. Suddenly sparks of every color burst from the tip and Harley felt a warmth travel up her arm and fill her entire body. She turned to Harry, smiling brilliantly. "Wow," she said. Harry was smiling back, happy for her.

Mr. Ollivander smiled as well. "Excellent, excellent. We'll focus on you now, Mr. Potter." The process continued for a bit longer, Ollivander seemingly more excited with every failed wand. He suddenly turned to stare at Harry with interest.

"Tricky customer, eh? Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match here somewhere. I wonder, now – yes, why not – unusual combination. Holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple."

Harry took the wand. He felt the same warmth Harley had felt earlier, and when he gave it a wave red sparks shot from the tip.

Harley and Hagrid whooped and clapped and Mr. Ollivander cried, "Oh bravo! Yes, indeed, oh, very good. Well, well, well…how curious…how very curious…That will be seven galleons each."

He turned to wrap up both their wands while muttering, "Curious…curious."

Harry looked to Harley questioningly. She just shrugged her shoulders in response. She had no idea what the barmy old codger was mumbling about. Harry turned back to said codger. "Sorry," said Harry, "but what's curious?"

Mr. Ollivander fixed Harry with his pale stare. "I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr. Potter. Every single wand. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand gave another feather – just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother, why, its brother gave you that scar."

Harry swallowed and Harley's eyes widened comically. "Yes, thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember...I think we must expect great things from you, Mr. Potter... After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things - terrible, yes, but great."

"Great?" Harley asked rudely. "You think it's great that he tortured and murdered a bunch of innocent people?" Harry shuddered. He'd been thinking the same thing and wasn't sure he liked Mr. Ollivander.

"Well, no," the man responded. "He conquered great feats of magic, Miss Black. That cannot be denied, no matter how egregious the acts he committed in his bid for power."

Harley raised an eyebrow; it seemed like splitting hairs to her. "The man murdered my mum and Harry's parents. I refuse to think of him in any context that includes the word 'great' unless you're referring to what a great sadistic murdering arse he was," she said, slamming 14 galleons onto the counter and plucking the wand boxes from Ollivander's hands before turning, grabbing Harry's hand and exiting the shop.

Both Hagrid and Ollivander stared after the pair in shock for a few moments before Hagrid snapped out of the trance and hurried after them. "Har – Er, Mary, you can't go around saying things like that to people. You need to be respectful to adults."

Harley internally scoffed. _Yeah right, when are adults ever respectful to the opinions of children?_ She had enough sense to keep this retort in, however, simply eying Hagrid skeptically. She couldn't quite figure him out. He seemed alright, but perhaps a little naïve. He never seemed to feel the need to question authority, instead blindly following the orders of those he believes to be his betters. Harley thought it sad that an eleven-year-old child has a more realistic view on life than a fully grown man.

He seemed satisfied with her lack of response and ushered the pair back to the Leaky Cauldron. From there the trio made their way to the train station. Harry and Harley dutifully found a seat on the train after Hagrid gave them their tickets to the Hogwarts Express, waving to him as the train left the platform.

At the next stop Harley grabbed Harry's hand and led him away from the train. They made their way into the busy London streets, quickly finding an empty alleyway. Harry was looking around nervously while Harley dug through her pockets. "What are we doing, Harley?" he asked.

She ignored him in favor of continuing her search. She finally pulled a small black stone from her pocket and held it up triumphantly. "Griphook told me it's called a portkey. He said it would bring us back to the bank." She held out the hand that contained the stone for Harry to hold. Once their hands were interlocked Harley looked to Harry nervously. "I have no idea what's going to happen. _Chariot._"

As soon as the password was uttered the children felt a sharp tug at the back of their navels before being swept up into some kind of vortex. They were spinning very rapidly for about 10 seconds before they were deposited on their asses inside Gringotts. Hard. They were in some kind of receiving room, and the only witnesses to their graceless arrival were goblins, all of which began to laugh. At least that's what Harley thought they were doing. Harry was less optimistic as the sounds sounded more like growls than anything else.

Unperturbed by the vicious sounding laughter, Harley sprung to her feet. "Thank you, thank you! We'll be here all week!" she said while taking a bow. The goblins laughter just got louder and more vicious sounding, but Harry felt better nonetheless as he was nearly certain they really were just laughing and not preparing to eat them.

Finally Griphook approached them and led them to an office down a long, stone, torch lit hall. The nameplate on the door read, "Bogrod". After rapping the door sharply Griphook led the two children into the office.

"Miss Black, Mr. Potter, this is Bogrod and Gornuk. They are the account managers for the Black and Potter accounts, respectively. They will be able to answer any questions you may have regarding your finances."

Both children held out their hands in introduction before turning to Griphook. "Thank you for your help, Griphook. I know you were just doing your job, but we really appreciate it," said Harley while Harry nodded his agreement.

Griphook nodded his response before excusing himself and the pair turned back to their account managers. "Thank you for meeting with us on such short notice," said Harry. Both children were very intelligent and had picked up on social niceties despite their upbringing.

"It is not a problem, Mr. Potter," said Gornuk.

"Please, call us Harry and Harley," requested Harry.

"Very well, what can we do for you Harry, Harley?" asked Bogrod.

Harry looked to Harley. He wasn't entirely sure what she had in mind. "Well sirs, Harry and I have been living in less than ideal circumstances." She looked to Harry for permission to reveal some of the realities of their lives. Harry seemed to understand her questioning glance and nodded encouragingly.

"Until Harry received his Hogwarts letter he'd been living in the cupboard under the stairs in the home of his so called relatives. I do not believe it is necessary to reveal any further details for you to understand that the way these people treat him is unacceptable."

She took the anger apparent in their features for confirmation. "He had no choice but to endure life there before today. He did not know he had a vault full of gold waiting for him, or that his girlfriend was filthy rich," she said the last part with a smirk, which Harry mirrored. "For my part, life in the orphanage is less than pleasant, but it is much more bearable than the imprisonment Harry has suffered."

"However, now that we have options I do not plan on either of us returning to our previous establishments. I was wondering if you were aware of any properties either of us may own that would be a safe place for us to set up a home." She turned to Harry to run the next part by him before officially adding it to her request. "I think it's best if no one in the wizarding world, besides our advisors here, know where we are staying, or that we've left our previous living arrangements at all."

"I agree, but would like to know your reasoning," responded Harry.

"Well, Hagrid saw you sleeping on the floor of that horrible hut with barely any covers, yet sent you happily back to the Dursleys. You heard what he said, that Dumbledore person left you there. What if he tries to send you back? I think it's best if we approach every person we meet with a healthy degree of skepticism, Harry. After everything we've learned about the wizarding world and Voldemort…I just think we need to be on our guard with any new witch or wizard we meet."

Harry nodded his agreement before the pair turned back to their account managers. Both goblins had listened to the girl's reasoning with glee and their faces showed terrifying grins as a result. "That is very wise, young Harley," said Bognod. "There are many wizards who would love to control The Boy Who Lived." Both children nodded grimly. Why couldn't anything in their lives just be easy?

"I wish I could send you to Potter Manor. Unfortunately it was destroyed by Voldemort's followers while your father was still in Hogwarts, Harry. The house was protected by ancient wards and magics that would ensure your safety. The Blacks own such a hosue as well, however, it is probable that there are many dark items that could be potentially harmful found within its walls. There is one other promising property, however," claimed Bognod. "Your father bought a penthouse in muggle London shortly after your mother was murdered, Harley. No one knew the location except the Potters."

Both children gasped. "Our parents knew each other?" they both questioned loudly.

The goblins looked at each other anxiously. "Well yes," said Gornuk. "They were best friends." He turned to Harley. "When you were born your parents made James and Lily Potter your godparents." Harley gasped as Gornuk's eyes traveled to Harry. "When you were born your parents made Sirius and Dorcas Black your godparents." Harry turned sharply toward Harley to find her just as shocked as him. She had tears in her eyes and her hand gripped his tightly.

She turned back to the goblins. "But, they say my father was a traitor. A murderer. A - ," she gulped, "A Death Eater."

The goblins shared a frightening look. "Yes. That's what they say. The goblins don't believe it. I tried to force the Ministry to give Lord Black a trial, but they refused," said Bognod resentfully. "They wouldn't even listen to the requests of a lowly goblin."

Both Harry and Harley gasped again. "My father was thrown in jail without a trial?" Harley nearly shouted. "And they wouldn't even listen to you, just because you aren't human? Bastards!"

Harley stood and began pacing the length of the office. "How are we supposed to know why he did what he did if there is no trial? How are we supposed to know that he even did what they claim? How can they lock someone up without a fair trial?"

She continued to mutter to herself until she heard Harry address the goblins. "Is there anything we can do to get Sirius a trial? Can Harley, as his daughter and only legitimate member of the House of Black, demand one?"

Harley turned her hopeful gaze to the goblins. "I believe she could, Harry," said Gornuk. "I can give you the name of a very good solicitor who is one of the few wizards trusted by the goblins. If anyone could help you get justice for your father, he could. Excuse me for a moment."

After Gornuk left, Bogrod turned the attention back to the children's living arrangements. "While Gornuk looks into that matter, I believe we should discuss the apartment I mentioned. It is a penthouse located at One Hyde Park in London. The building has impeccable security, especially for a muggle establishment, which is one of the reasons your father chose it. All the glass in the building is bullet proof, which would also hold up against most spells. There is also what the muggles refer to as a 'panic room'. Only the most destructive of spells would be able to penetrate the room, most likely killing both the targeted person as well as the caster. The simple fact that the apartment is muggle adds to the security. Voldemort's followers don't typically venture into muggle areas unless they're…muggle hunting."

All three beings grimaced at that. Harley began to feel more and more certain her father was innocent, and she told the other two as much. "I think my father is innocent. Why would he need to hide amongst muggles if he was really Voldemort's follower? Why would he allow a muggleborn to bear his child and give the child the name of a muggle motorbike and another muggleborn witch, then make said witch his child's godmother. It makes no sense."

Harry took her hand. "He wouldn't. I agree with you. Something isn't right."

Bognod nodded. "I agree, young ones. We will continue that discussion when Gornuk returns. Now, the building has 24-hour room service and the apartment is fully furnished. No one will question you about your parents as long as you don't draw attention to yourselves. If they do, send us an owl and we will take care of it, for a fee, of course." He explained, sliding what looked like a two credit cards across the desk. "These are tied to your vaults. Mr. Potter, Harry, this is tied to the main Potter vault. What you visited today was just a trust vault. You own another vault similar to the Black vault you saw today, only without the dark artifacts."

Harley lowered her head in shame. Her family was a bunch of assholes, less, hopefully, her father. "No need to be ashamed, young one," said Bognod. "Would you like to hire a curse breaker to clear your vault of any dark or cursed items?"

Harley lifted her eyes. "Yes, please."

"We'll have to destroy anything we find. It is against bank policy to store dark or dangerous artifacts in your vault, so we rarely get these requests. We only enter a vault for this purpose at the request of the owner or if we receive evidence of dark items. Ordinarily we'd destroy the items and remove the banking privileges of the offending wizards. We shall make an exception in your case. Your father had planned to set up such a clearing out of items when his brother died and he became Lord Black. He never got around to it because of the war, and we will not punish an innocent such as yourself or your father, for the deeds of your forefathers."

Harley was practically sitting in Harry's lap at that point, needing his comfort. It was all so much to take in. She looked across the table to Bogrod. She didn't know why, but she trusted him completely. Maybe it was the fact that he wasn't human. Maybe it was the fact that his motives were completely unhidden. He was an account manager and made money off his clients. He managed their finances, their investments and received a percentage in return. There was a charge for any service he provided, be it the curse breaker or helping them remain unnoticed at their new home. There were no secret agendas or bids for control. He gave advice, but left the decisions to them. He sought permission as opposed to acting without consulting them. Whatever it was, she trusted him.

"Thank you," she said quietly. "I truly appreciate everything you're doing for us. I'm not one to trust easily, but I feel like I can trust you, Bogrod. This is a whole new world for us, and we don't have anyone to turn to for advice. We have no family to look our for our best interests above their own. While this world offers new wonders, it also brings much more danger. We both know that. I for one would feel completely lost without your advice and counseling today. You've answered all our questions and made no attempts to hide anything from us, as far as I can see, anyway. It is…refreshing. Again, I thank you."

"I'm just doing my job, Miss Black, Harley."

Harry cleared his throat. "I thank you as well. We need guidance from someone we can trust. Someone without ulterior motives. If what Hagrid said is true, there are a lot of witches and wizards who would like a piece of The Boy Who Lived, but these people left me to a life with my awful relatives. No one bothered to check and make sure I was being treated properly. A wizard killed my parents and Harley's mum. Wizards imprisoned Harley's father, my godfather, illegally. From what I gathered today, wizards don't really trust goblins very much, but yet you were the only one to question a man's wrongful imprisonment. We have left a world where we can trust only one person and entered a world where we can trust no one. So, please accept our gratitude, it means more to us than you can imagine."

Bogrod gaped at the two children's earnest faces. They truly meant what they said. Wizards have looked down on goblins as long as there were wizards and goblins, yet these two children clearly look up to them. Bogrod didn't quite know how to respond to the two anomalies before him. Luckily, Gornuk entered in that moment, negating his response.

"Alright, Harry, Harley. I have made some progress on some of your issues. First, you have an appointment with Mr. Alberts, the attorney I mentioned earlier, tomorrow at one o'clock." He passed Harry a note with the address. "Now, I've also magically filed paperwork with Harley's orphanage for a false adoption. They won't be expecting to see you again, nor will your Aunt and Uncle, Harry. I've sent them a notice that you've found alternate living arrangements. The parchment had a mild compulsion charm to ensure they didn't try and inform anyone in the magical world that you are no longer living there."

Neither Harry nor Harley thought there was any danger in the Dursleys inquiring about Harry's new living arrangements, but both were pleased with Gornuk's thoroughness. "Excellent, thank you, Gornuk," chimed Harry and Harley simultaneously.

"I have one more item I'd like to present you with." At their nods, Gornuk continued, showing them two necklaces, both with a small black stone similar to the portkey they used earlier. "These are emergency portkeys. You'll be living on your own, and while the building is quite secure, I'd feel more comfortable if you had a means to escape if need be. If activated, the portkeys will deliver you to a special room inside Gringotts and both Bogrod and I will be alerted to your arrival. There is a ten galleon fee for each of these, if you choose to add this extra layer of protection."

Both children nodded their heads enthusiastically, glad they'd decided to trust their goblin advisors. Gornuk had not been present for that conversation, yet he'd been concerned enough for their safety to provide the emergency portkeys.

The goblins exchanged a fair amount of galleons into pounds before sending the children on their way, encouraging them to contact the pair if they had any questions or concerns about anything at all. If the goblins couldn't answer their question or provide the service, they'd direct them to someone trustworthy who could.

On their way back to the Leaky Cauldron the pair stopped by into Flourish and Blotts to pick up the book of hexes Harry had seen earlier, as well as some books on goblin culture and language.

The children left the Alley immediately after, hailing a cab to their new home. They were quite surprised at what they found when they arrived. The apartment was more spectacular than anything they'd ever seen and the two ran around, happily exploring their new home and giggling like mad. They'd ordered every desert available from the room service menu and spent the night watching whatever they wanted on television.

After changing into the new night clothes they'd bought earlier in the day, the duo decided to sleep in the same room. They'd never been on their own, and needed to feel each other's presence. As they slowly drifted to sleep on the most comfortable bed they'd ever slept in, Harry heard Harley's faint murmur, "Happy Birthday, Harry." He had a contented smile on his face when sleep claimed him shortly thereafter. Yes, this was by far the happiest birthday he'd ever had.

A/N:

First let me thank all my reviewers! You guys are awesome! Your kind words keep me motivated and give me so much inspiration. I can't think you enough!

MORE, Lara, Ashba7, Naginator, LightningStar 0.o, EnterNameHere9999, and Mini Luna!

I have to give a special thank you to Lara for being my first reviewer from my other story to read my new one! Thanks!

I hope you enjoyed the chapter! I know it's clichéd to have the goblins as an ally, but it made sense with my story, and any HP story, really, as humans have let Harley and Harry down quite spectacularly. It only makes sense for them to seek advice from a new species.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter! I'll love you forever if you leave a review!


	5. Chapter 5

A/N:

I forgot to mention in my last chapter that I added a link in my profile to a video about One Hyde Park if you want to see the kind of pad the kids will be living in.

Chapter Five:

Harry and Harley awoke the following morning with soft sunlight brightening their room. They both had the best night sleep they could ever remember. They seemingly woke from their slumbers at exactly the same time for they glanced at each other before breaking out into giggles. They then proceeded to leap to their feet to jump on their new bed while assaulting each other with their soft pillows.

After the intense pillow fight, the pair collapsed onto the bed with contented sighs. "I can't believe this is our new life," said Harry. "It doesn't seem real."

"There are too many negative clouds looming over our heads for it to be a dream, Harry, as sad as that sounds."

Harry nodded in agreement before suggesting they shower before breakfast. Harley took the master ensuite while Harry used one of the other bathrooms.

They met in the kitchen feeling refreshed and called down for breakfast. The pair sat happily eating their abundant breakfast while watching the morning cartoons. Neither child had ever experienced this type of freedom, and were both reveling in it.

As they finished their meal Harry asked Harley what she wanted to do for the day, other than visiting Mr. Alberts. "Well, I was thinking we could go out this morning to get some new muggle clothes. Neither of us have ever really had anything new. I'd also like to pick up some proper dance clothes. I have a lesson with Mary this afternoon; I'd like you to come. Mary would be thrilled to see you. She's pregnant, by the way. She's having a boy."

Harry smiled at the news. "She'll be a brilliant mum, and I'd love to go to the lesson. I haven't seen you dance in a while. I've missed it."

Harley smiled sadly. "I have a feeling I'm going to need the lesson today. I don't think this meeting with Mr. Alberts is going to be an easy one."

Harry put his arm around Harley, pulling her into his body. She snuggled into his side, grateful for his comfort. "We'll figure everything out, Harley. Bogrod and Gornuk said they trusted Mr. Alberts. Let's see what he has to say before we start worrying over it."

Harley nodded her acquiescence, but wanted to address some of the other people they'd met or heard about. "What do you think of Hagrid?" she asked.

Harry thought about it for a moment. "I feel like he's a good person, and he'd make a good friend. I just don't think we should ever really take him into our confidence. You know, be friends, but on a somewhat superficial level."

"I agree. I don't feel like he'd ever do anything intentionally to slight us, but he seems the type to blindly follow authority figures. The main one being this Dumbledore character. I'm not sure how I feel about him, yet. I think we should be super cautious when we meet him," said Harley.

"I agree, for sure. I don't like the way he said Dumbledore left me with the Dursleys with nothing more than a note. Who is he to make decisions like that about me? He dropped me off there and never even bothered to check up on me. I don't like that."

Harley nodded her agreement; she'd been thinking along the same lines. "What about the professor that came for your notification?" asked Harry.

"Oh, McGonagall. I'm not too sure about her. She left out significant facts about my father and our connection. She knew how important you are to me but she didn't bother telling me that we knew each other before we were orphaned. That is…alarming."

Harry didn't like it either. Why keep it from them? They had the right to know things that affected their own lives. Hadn't they been denied enough of their heritage?

After sitting in silent contemplation for a few moments the pair readied themselves for their shopping excursion. They arrived back to the apartment with bags and bags of new clothes and shoes. Both children were grinning like mad. They never had new things before.

After changing out of their old muggle clothes into new ones, the pair headed back out into London to grab some lunch before taxing over to Mr. Alberts' office. Their building provided cars for the children, so they didn't have to take regular cabs. Instead they had a nice town car complete with refreshments and their own chauffer. The charges would be billed to their Gringotts vault monthly. The only thing the children had to do was tip their driver.

Mr. Alberts office was located in Diagon Alley, so they had the driver drop them off at The Leaky Cauldron. Harry had bought plenty of new hats, so again no one gave the children a second glance. They arrived to the office right on time and were seen immediately.

Mr. Alberts was an older wizard with salt and pepper hair and a serious face. He was a no nonsense sort of man, but both children appreciated that quality in someone who was to be representing them in a legal matter. The man didn't even look up to Harry's forehead when he removed his hat.

"Good Afternoon Miss Black, Mr. Potter. Gornuk informed me you wanted to have a solicitor look into the matter of your father's imprisonment?"

"Yes, sir."

"Well, I went ahead and retrieved all documentation on the case yesterday. It seems your father was arrested after twelve muggles and a Peter Pettigrew were murdered on a muggle street. The man was muttering about how it was all his fault. The Aurors questioned the muggle witnesses before they obliviated them. They all claimed that Peter shouted, 'Lily and James, Sirius! How could you?' They say Black then blasted the street apart killing the dozen muggles and Pettigrew. All they could find of Mr. Pettigrew was his finger."

Mr. Alberts explained all of this in an impassive voice as he glanced through his notes. Meanwhile Harley found it harder and harder to breath. There were witnesses? Her father truly was a murderer? She had been so sure he was innocent that her traitorous heart had begun to care for him. Harry saw her distress, as well as feeling his own, and pulled his chair flush against hers, wrapping her in his arms. He needed her as much as she needed him in that moment.

When Mr. Alberts finished reading the report he looked up to see two distressed children on the other side of his desk. "Miss Black, Mr. Potter, we don't know if these are the actual facts. Muggles do not make good witnesses to wizard crimes. They don't understand magic. It could have just as easily been Mr. Pettigrew that fired the curse. We would know for sure if Lord Black had been given a trial."

"But they say Pettigrew is dead, and my father said it was all his fault."

"I'll address Mr. Pettigrew first. The way I see it, one of the two of them are guilty for the crimes. Peter could have faked his own death by slicing his own finger off. There are many ways a wizard could escape in the chaos following that blasting curse. I personally believe Mr. Pettigrew was the guilty party. They were able to reconstruct all the bodies, except Peter's." Both children shifted uncomfortably. The man was casually talking about people being torn to pieces. "Why were the bodies closest to Lord Black recoverable while Pettigrew, who was farthest away, completely blown apart? It doesn't make sense to me. Bear in mind this is purely conjecture." Both children nodded in understanding feeling quite overwhelmed.

"Now, as for the issue of Lord Black claiming fault. Have either of you heard of survivor's guilt?"

At their negative response, the man continued. "Well, it is a condition that afflicts those in situations where a portion of a party dies while others survive. It is possible that Lord Black felt guilty for surviving, and believes that because he couldn't save them he is at fault for their deaths."

He stared into their hopeful faces seriously. "I don't want to get your hopes up, however. He could very well be guilty. As I said before, we'll never know for sure unless he has a trial. There is a potion called Veritaserum. It's a truth potion. If he'd had a trial it would have been administered and he'd have admitted to any wrongdoing."

"So if we're able to get him a trial he'll be given the serum?" Harley asked.

"Yes, Miss Black. And there is no _if _we can get him a trial. If you hire me, I assure you he'll have a trial. Soon."

"Will you be able to ask questions as well as the prosecutors?"

"Yes."

"If he's guilty I want to know why he did it."

Mr. Alberts nodded his response while sliding a sheet of parchment across his desk. "It's a retainer agreement, which lists my rates."

Harry and Harley read over the agreement. It was a bit dense, but they understood each point. "So with this agreement you officially become my legal representation. I will have your assistance and confidence in all matters that may arise in the future as well?"

"Yes, Miss Black. This agreement makes me your legal representation in all matters until you no longer wish to employ my services. You can come to me with any matter at all, and will be charged hourly for any time I spend on your issues. The charges will go through your Gringotts account, with your account manager reviewing all charges for legitimacy," he explained.

Harley signed the document before turning to Harry. "I think you should employ him as well, Harry. You could probably benefit from having a man like Mr. Alberts to look out for your best interests."

Harry already agreed with his girlfriend, but Mr. Alberts offered his opinion before Harry could respond. "I agree with Miss Black, Mr. Potter, especially if we find that Lord Black is guilty of the crimes. Even if you choose a different solicitor, you more than anyone, should retain legal counsel. You need to always be aware of your rights as there will be predators after a piece of you. Retaining a solicitor would give you someone in your corner who will always consider your best interests over any others."

Harry nodded his agreement. "I'd prefer you, Mr. Alberts. You came recommended from our financial advisors, and Harley and my best interest are intertwined."

"Very well," said Mr. Alberts, pulling another standard retainer agreement from his desk. After Harry signed the document Mr. Alberts returned the conversation to the issue of Sirius' trial.

"Miss Black, I've already filled out the necessary paperwork to request a trial in Sirius' case. Because he's been imprisoned for nine and a half years without due process I've demanded the trial be held at once, threatening to involve the media if I receive any resistance from the Ministry. The public is afraid of your father, but they will not appreciate a wizard being thrown to the dementors without due process, especially a pureblood." Both children grimaced. It shouldn't matter whether the person was pureblood or muggleborn. The injustice is the same regardless. "I know what you're thinking, but it does matter. There is still a lot of blood prejudice in our society, even without Voldemort looming over everyone's head."

Harry and Harley had to grin at that, and Mr. Alberts eyed them curiously. "You said his name," Harley explained.

"Yeah, everyone calls him You-Know-Who or He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. We think it's silly. I'm glad we have a lawyer who agrees," Harry finished.

"Yes, well, I believe in the law, in justice. I refuse to memorialize a sadistic man like Voldemort by using all those ridiculously reverent names," Mr. Alberts explained. "I call it like I see it. Now, would you like me to file these documents, Miss Black? I would like to push for a trial next week."

"Yes, please do. Will we be able to attend the trial?"

"Yes, as his daughter and godson, no one will be able to bar your entrance. Mr. Potter, would you like me to have all the guardianship papers prepared for after the trial, in the event Lord Black is innocent? Harley's guardianship would automatically be reverted to him, as she's his daughter, but yours would not. He has a legal claim to it as your godfather, and as long as he signs the papers no one would be able to keep you from him."

"Yes, please," Harry said enthusiastically. There could be a lot of powerful wizards at the trial and they may try to send him back to the Dursleys or claim guardianship themselves. He smirked internally thinking Harley would come rescue him if anyone tried to send him back to Privet Drive.

"Very well. I've got a lot of work to do to prepare for the trial. I'll be in touch."

The two children said their goodbyes and returned to the car waiting outside The Leaky Cauldron. They sat silently in the back seat of the town car, contemplating the upcoming trial and what it would mean for them. It would either be a very happy occasion or a very upsetting one. Ultimately the children just wanted to _know_. Good or bad, they had to know what happened all those years ago.

They were startled out of their musings when the driver opened the door. They had been so lost in thought they didn't realize they were sitting in front of the rec center. The pair jumped out of the car, Harry especially excited to see Mary again.

Mary was very surprised to see Harry and greeted him warmly. "Your uncle let you come, Harry?"

"Well, erm, not exactly," he admitted. They'd been too engrossed in their thoughts of the trial to contemplate what they'd actually say to Mary. They couldn't pretend nothing had changed as there was a town car waiting to take them back to London.

"A lot has happened in the last week, Mary," Harley explained, quickly trying to form a plausible story in her mind. "I told you about how we'd be going to boarding school in the fall?" At her nod, Harley continued. "Well, some friends of my parents found out that I'd been living in the orphanage and offered to board me during the breaks so I wouldn't have to stay in the orphanage. I asked them if Harry could come too and they agreed. I think they felt guilty for not enquiring about me sooner so they didn't put up much fight when I told them I'd only come if they took Harry as well."

Mary's eyes danced with glee at the news, making Harry and Harley feel a wave of guilt. They couldn't exactly tell her the truth, though. "That's wonderful! I'm so glad neither of you have to go back to your old living arrangements!"

Harry and Harley smiled in return, even if it was a bit forced. "Thanks. Actually, my trust fund is rather sizable. I would like to reimburse you for the lessons and meals you've given me and Harry. We really appreciate them, and you've put a lot of time into my training."

Mary scoffed. "Nonsense, Harley. I have a sizable trust fund of my own," she said, winking conspiratorially. "I can't tell you the joy you two have brought to my life. I've enjoyed every second of our time together."

Both children smiled sincerely at her proclamation. "I hear congratulations are in order, Mary," said Harry, hugging his favorite teacher.

Mary laughed, "Thank you, Harry! And Happy Birthday, I'm so sad I had to miss it this year."

Harry grinned. "It's alright. Harley had me covered. It was the best birthday I've ever had!"

Mary smiled warmly at that. "I'm sure she did. I hope you didn't go too overboard with cake and ice cream, because you haven't been training for the past two months, mister. We're going to have to start whipping you back into shape! I hope you aren't planning to wear those clothes."

Both children laughed. "We brought some proper training clothes, Mary. We had an engagement before this, so we just need to change."

The children quickly ran off to the locker rooms to put on their new clothes. When the returned Mary had them run through a fairly intense workout. Harry hadn't realized just how much two months without training could set him back. Mary hadn't been joking when she said he'd have to be whipped back into shape. He was very grateful when the dance portion of the lesson began so he could take a breather.

Harry sat off to the side and happily watched his girl dance. She was going through some contemporary routines they'd been working on and he loved every minute of it. After going through the routines, they spent some time to work on technique. By the time they were finished, Harry felt his energy return.

"We're going to do some fun hip hop routines, Harry, do you want to join us?"

Harry nodded enthusiastically. He loved doing tricks and practicing the gliding movements. The kids were laughing merrily and having way too much fun by the end of the lesson. Mary loved seeing the two kids enjoying themselves so freely. She'd never quite seem them so carefree. Getting away from the orphanage and the Dursleys was definitely a positive change in their lives.

When it was time for them to leave Mary brought out a medium sized box. "I've put together some notebooks of various exercises and techniques you can work on while you're at school. I want you both to follow the training schedule I provided. It will keep your bodies strong, flexible and agile. I don't want the two of you to return in the summer looking like a pair of Dudley Dursleys." Both children burst into giggles at that.

"I've also gotten you a boom box and made you some tapes with various styles of music. We'll be going over some additional routines before you leave that you can practice and perfect at school, but I also want you to come back with some routines of your own. Harry, you can work on your tumbling and tricks. Your gliding has also greatly improved. There's plenty of hip hop tapes for you to practice to."

Both children hugged Mary emotionally. She's always been there for them and looked out for their best interests. She'd never let them down. "Thank you, Mary."

The two children spent the next week experiencing all the wonders they'd been denied growing up. They spent their Saturday at Alton Theme Park, thrilled with all the rides and attractions. They returned on Sunday to the Water Park portion of Alton and spent the day enjoying all the water slides and features.

Monday the pair was awoken by a tapping noise on their window. The owl was delivering a letter from Mr. Alberts telling them he'd secured a trial date for that Thursday and to meet him at his office at 8 AM sharp. Both children were anxious for the trial, but refused to let the looming date spoil their fun. If Sirius was guilty they may not feel like continuing their excursions, so they decided to have as much fun as possible beforehand.

That afternoon the children visited the London zoo. Harry hadn't gotten to really enjoy the park when he came before because he was always having to keep an eye on Dudley and Pierce. He found the park much more enjoyable when it was just him and Harley.

Harry was nervous to enter the reptile house again, having explained to Harley what happened. Harley, however, thought it was brilliant that he could speak to snakes. When the entered the enclosure the snakes seemed to be excited to see Harry.

"Pleassse, let me free" – "It'ssss the sssnake ssspeaker!" – "I want to go home, Pleassse!"

Harry grabbed Harley's hand. He couldn't stay in there. He felt bad for the imprisoned snakes. "What's wrong, Harry?"

"They were all talking to me, excited to see me. They wanted me to free them. I feel bad that I can't. I couldn't stay in there and listen to their pleas."

Harley patted Harry's arm sympathetically. "Maybe after we go to Hogwarts we would know enough about magic to sneak back in and free them," Harley supplied helpfully.

"They'll just get more. Why do humans think it's okay to do just cage wild animals like that? They don't belong in some glass enclosure, just so people can press there ugly faces in on them. They should be free."

Harley nodded her head in agreement. "It's easy when they don't have to listen to the animals' misery. Let's get out of here."

The pair left the zoo feeling morose. They were both glad for the grueling workout Mary put them through that afternoon. She'd also gotten Harry a nice new book bag for his birthday. Everyone was too tired after the workout to enjoy the cake she'd brought, so they just sang Happy Birthday and the pair took the cake home with them.

They spent Tuesday exploring Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square. In the evening the children enjoyed their first ever cinema experience. They saw _What About Bob?_ and neither child had ever laughed so hard.

They woke Wednesday to another owl. It was from Mr. Alberts asking the children to stay in their apartment that day. Apparently that Dumbledore guy was also the head of the governing body that would hold the trial of Sirius Black. When he was informed of the trial he had gone to visit Harley at the orphanage to find her gone. He'd then tried to check on Harry at the Dursleys and they'd informed him Harry was no longer their problem. As Mr. Alberts filed the paperwork for the trial, Dumbldore had gone to him to insist he be informed of the children's whereabouts. As only Bogrod and Gornuk knew where they were staying, Mr. Alberts couldn't tell him even if he wanted to. Which he didn't.

Mr. Alberts didn't think Dumbledore was a threat to the children, but advised them to keep to their home regardless. He'd also provided a portkey that would allow them to arrive directly in his office. It didn't have a password; instead it would simply leave at 8 AM regardless of whether anyone was holding it.

As they were now forced to stay in the apartment, they quickly called Mary to cancel their Wednesday lesson. They then decided to spend the day looking through their books. The pair spent a few hours going over the book on the war. They were surprised to see that Harry had his own chapter. They were both annoyed with the author. He'd taken quite a bit of creative license for a nonfiction book. No one really knew what happened that night, as Harry couldn't really remember much and everyone else present didn't make it through the night alive (or in any state for storytelling, in Voldemort's case). By the way the author told the tale you'd think he was in the room with them.

After taking all they could stomach on the war, the pair turned to their school books. As neither of them had been exposed to magic before a few days ago, they wanted to read ahead a bit. They ended the night propped in their bed as Harley read _Hogwarts: A History_ aloud. Both children found the book fascinating and it fueled their excitement for the start of term.

At around ten that night the pair extinguished the lights and tried to get some sleep as they had an early morning. This was easier said than done, however. Both children were nervous about what they'd find out the next day. "Harley," Harry began. "Whatever happens…I just want you to know I love you. Nothing we hear tomorrow will change that."

Harley felt like a weight was lifted from her chest at his words. He always knew just what to say. She gratefully rolled over and snuggled into his side. "Thank you, Harry. I love you, too."

The two children were able to relax once they were cuddled together, and fell into a peaceful sleep.

Their nerves returned when they woke up. The pair separated to shower and prepare for the day ahead. They met back up in the master ensuite for Harley to apply some concealer to Harry's scar. Once they were dressed and ready they sat down to force some toast into their uneasy stomachs. They didn't know how long the trial would take, and knew they'd need to eat _something_.

At 7:58 they each held onto an end of the quill provided for a portkey. At exactly 8 AM the two felt the tug at the back of their navels before being pulled into the vortex of portkey travel. When the process was finished the pair promptly landed on their asses for a second time.

"Miss Black, Mr. Potter, good morning. Please, have a seat," Mr. Alberts greeted without looking up from his papers. The two children righted themselves and sat in the offered chairs. "Now, the trial begins at 9:00 AM. Lord Black was brought to a holding facility at the Ministry last night. I spoke to him. He claimed to be innocent, that it was Pettigrew that killed the muggles and betrayed James and Lily Potter. He said that he'd been waiting for this day for many years, and was most pleased that it was his daughter and godson who forced the issue of his trial. He's quite excited to see you."

Both children beamed. Sirius was innocent! "I don't want you to get too excited, now. I'm just telling you what he told me. We will find out the truth today. The Ministry seems anxious to paint him in the worst possible light. They didn't want to allow him to clean up for the trial. Nearly ten years in Azkaban will take a toll on anyone, so I must warn you that he looks rather haggard. I demanded that he be given a proper shower and robes, however. It was all I could really do. If he's found innocent it will take time to return him to health."

Both children were frowning by the time Mr. Alberts finished. They didn't like the idea of Sirius being in a place that sounded so horrible, especially since they were both now positive that he was innocent. They didn't need the trial to prove it to them. They just felt it.

Mr. Alberts spent the next twenty minutes or so explaining what would happen at a wizarding trial, giving them a brief overview of the Wizengamot, which is wizarding Britain's high court. After explaining how the procedure would go, Mr. Alberts led the two children out of his office and toward the Ministry of Magic.

The trio made it to the courtroom with little fuss. Harry had kept his head down, but made sure his hair left his forehead visible where his scar would normally stand out. Harley figured people would see the unblemished skin of the child's forehead and overlook the fact that he was The Boy Who Lived. It had worked brilliantly and Harry thanked whatever deity was listening for bringing his beautiful, brilliant girlfriend into his life.

The trial was set to start in about twenty minutes as Mr. Alberts settled his charges into the bench available to the family of the defendant. He then walked the few feet to the table provided for the defendant's lawyer and set up his materials.

As Mr. Alberts was preparing for the trial the children were approached by a man with a long white beard, clear blue eyes behind half-moon glasses and a long crooked nose. He was wearing purple Wizengamot robes. "Mr. Potter, Miss Black, I am so pleased to see that you're safe. I'm Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster at Hogwarts. It's a pleasure to meet you both."

Both children shook the man's hand politely while internally studying him skeptically. "Mr. Potter," he began, "may I have a word with you in private?"

Mr. Alberts answered for Harry. "Chief Warlock, I must insist upon my presence if you wish to speak to my client in non-school related issues."

"Your client?" asked Dumbledore in shock. "I thought you were representing Lord Black at the request of his daughter."

"I am, sir. Mr. Potter has also asked me to represent him as well. Both children have me on retainer, and I will be especially diligent in their representation if these proceedings to not go as we hope."

Dumbledore got over his shock quickly. "Very well. I need to speak with you regarding Harry's living arrangements."

"Now is not the time, Chief Warlock. We are here to try Lord Black. If he is found innocent he will have the authority to make that decision, anyway. We will discuss this later."

At that moment the clock struck nine, reinforcing Mr. Alberts declaration. Dumbledore nodded and took his place while the children turned to a set of doors on the opposite side of the room. The man entering the room had long, lanky black hair and sallow skin. As he walked, the shackles adorning both his arms and legs clanked noisily. His robes were decent, but they hung loosely from his body. He was extremely thin and his eyes were sunken into his skull. Harry and Harley would have thought he looked like a corpse if his eyes weren't scanning the assembled audience with such _life_.

When his eyes finally met Harley's, his face lit up with such happiness and hope. She could see the love radiating from her father and it warmed her very soul. His eyes travelled down her arm to where she held Harry's hand grasped in her own. He then followed Harry's arm up to his face. When his eyes locked with Harry's, Sirius gasped. He couldn't believe it. It was like looking at an 11-year-old James Potter, only with green eyes.

Harry could see the pain in his godfather's eyes as he looked over his features. Everyone told him he looked just like his father, so he figured Sirius was remembering him. When his eyes had soaked in the boy's features they returned to his eyes. Sirius gave him a watery smile filled with such love, and Harry instantly wondered how anyone could ever think his godfather was guilty of betraying his parents or murdering those muggles.

There was a chair in the middle of the courtroom covered with chains. When Sirius sat down the chains sprung to life and secured the man to the chair. Harley and Harry both increased their grip on each other's hand. Mr. Alberts had warned them about this part, but it was still difficult to watch.

Dumbledore began the proceedings, reading off the crimes of the accused and asking how he pleaded. "Not guilty," Sirius croaked.

Dumbledore then asked one of the Aurors to administer the Veritserum. Mr. Alberts wasn't taking part in the initial questioning, only standing by to ensure no questions outside the scope of the trial were asked.

Once the potion was administered Dumbledore began his questioning.

"What is your name?"

"Sirius Orion Black."

"Were you the secret-keeper of James and Lily Potter?"

"No."

Gasps echoed around the chamber and grim smiles overtook both Harry and Harley's faces. They were glad to see Sirius prove his innocence, but angry that he'd spent so much time imprisoned in the first place. They were surprised to see that no one looked more shocked that Albus Dumbledore.

"You weren't the secret-keeper?" he asked with unhidden pain lacing his voice.

"No."

"Who was the Potter's secret-keeper?"

"Peter Pettigrew." This drew more gasps.

"Were you ever a Death Eater?"

"No."

"Have you ever spied for Lord Voldemort?" Most flinched at the name and both Harry and Harley wondered how these witches and wizards were qualified to sit on the high court if they were afraid of a name.

"No."

"Did you kill those muggles and Peter Pettigrew on November 1, 1981?"

"No."

"Who did?"

"Peter Pettigrew killed the muggles. He is not dead."

"How is that possible? Peter Pettigrew was killed, all that was left of him was his finger."

"No. He shouted that I betrayed Lily and James before using the blasting hex as a distraction. He then sliced off his own finger before escaping in his animagus form, which is a rat."

"Why were you laughing when the Aurors arrived?"

"I was distraught. My best friend was murdered. Gone forever. Harry was orphaned. I'd tried to avenge their deaths, but Peter succeeded in framing me for everything instead. All I could do was laugh. It was all that was left."

Both Harley and Harry had tears streaming down their cheeks at Sirius spoke. The serum made his words sound so clinical and detached, but it didn't change the fact that he was describing the events that led Harley to the orphanage and Harry to the cupboard under the stairs.

When he was finished speaking the room went completely silent, save Harry and Harley's soft cries. Everyone in the room who'd sat on the bench nine and a half years ago were faced with undeniable proof that they'd damned a man to Azkaban for nearly ten years, leaving two children orphaned. Two children who were currently crying into each other's shoulders for the entire room to see.

Mr. Alberts cleared his throat, causing Dumbledore to startle. The old wizard looked stricken. "Do you have any more questions, Chief Warlock, or are you ready to take this to a vote?"

Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Yes, of course. Please administer the counter-potion to Lord Black."

After the Auror administered the second potion, the glassy sheen left Sirius' eyes. He immediately looked to his daughter and godson to see them holding each other tightly with tears streaming down their cheeks. Their distress caused panic to well inside him until they both gave him a watery smile.

He returned their smile before turning his attention to Dumbledore who was calling for a vote. Not every member voted not-guilty, which irked both Harry and Harley. One man in particular had an ugly sneer on his face the whole time. He had long white blond hair and reminded both children of the boy they'd met in Madam Malkins.

Even though a few people didn't vote not-guilty, no one voted guilty, choosing simply to abstain. As soon as the verdict was announced the chains vanished and Sirius bounded to his feet much more energetically than his appearance suggested he was capable.

Harry and Harley had both stood and he quickly made his way to them, kneeling before them and pulling them both into a tight hug. "I'm sorry, so sorry," he said. "I shouldn't have gone after Peter. I should have taken Harry and went home. I'm so sorry."

All three of them were crying unashamedly, clinging to each other desperately. "We're going to be a family?" asked Harley.

"Yes, Princess. We're going to be a family. You, me and Harry. I won't let anyone take either of you away from me again."

"Harry's my boyfriend," Harley insisted quickly. "You can treat him like a son, but I don't want you to try and make him feel like my brother."

Harry nodded his head in agreement. No one was taking away his girlfriend. Not even her father.

Sirius just chuckled. "Alright, Princess."

A/N:

First I need to thank my reviewers, of course. I love you guys and appreciate your reviews so much. They motivated me to get out another chapter!

Ariannightshade, LightningStar 0.o, Mini Luna, HarryPotterNut94, Naginator, cuteknight101, and Lara

Thanks so much!

Now, I want to put to rest any worries that I am going to be bashing every other HP character. I'm not. While Harry will be more assertive and questioning in my story, he will not be belligerent. Molly and Ginny will not be trying to break up Harry and Harley with love potions. Ron and Hermione will be their best friends, but the dynamic won't be exactly the same. Harry's not going to put up with Ron's less than pleasant behavior, especially if he ever tries to treat Harley the way he treats Hermione. Sometimes it may seem like I'm bashing them, and I enjoy reading a good Dumbles/Weasley bashing story as much as anyone else, but it's not the story I'm writing. I'm just trying to be realistic to Harry's character changes. He hasn't grown up alone. He's had Harley and Mary. He's going to be a different person.

Now, I know it's taking a while to get to Hogwarts. Honestly, I've got basic plot points I want to hit, but I'm mostly just writing this as it comes. I'm not going to try and force anything, so sometimes things will move slowly with more detail and sometimes we'll glide through events quickly.

I think that's everything. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I enjoyed writing it. I love hearing from you, even if it's just a "Loved the chapter" or "Thanks for the update". I stayed up until 2AM when I have to be at work at 7AM, just to get this chapter out and would love to hear what you think! :)


	6. Chapter 6

"_Yes, Princess. We're going to be a family. You, me and Harry. I won't let anyone take either of you away from me again."_

"_Harry's my boyfriend," Harley insisted quickly. "You can treat him like a son, but I don't want you to try and make him feel like my brother."_

_Harry nodded his head in agreement. No one was taking away his girlfriend. Not even her father._

_Sirius just chuckled. "Alright, Princess."_

Chapter Six:

A throat cleared behind the trio, causing them to break apart slightly. They weren't quite ready to let go of each other just yet. When they turned their attention to the disturbance they saw Mr. Alberts address the court. Harry and Harley noticed a woman with blond hair, heavy jaw, penciled-on eyebrows and blood red fingernails. As soon as Mr. Alberts started speaking her eyes lit up with malicious glee and her quill began rapidly scribbling across her parchment.

"Witches and Wizards of the Wizengamot, today a travesty of justice has been addressed. Please note that I say 'addressed' and not 'righted'. Make no mistake; this situation can _never_ be righted. A man was wrongfully imprisoned for almost ten years without so much as an interrogation. He has missed the last nine-and-a-half years of his daughter and godson's lives because of the illegalities of this court, years you can never return to him or his children. You broke your own laws by not trying this man, a Lord in our society. Retribution is demanded. Bartemius Crouch Sr. is the man who ultimately made the decision to deny a noble his rights, but every person sitting on the Wizengamot in November of 1981 holds culpability as well. You should all be ashamed of yourselves. If _significant_ attempts to address the issues within this organization that allowed this to happen are not made in a timely manner you can expect multiple wizard rights violation complaints to be filed with the ICW. Rest assured I will squeeze as much justice from this situation as is possible for Lord Sirius Orion Black. I also expect for you to waste _no_ time informing the public of his innocence as well as your _gross_ oversights in his case." At this Mr. Alberts shot a satisfied look at the blond haired woman.

Said Lord and his two children were staring at their attorney in shock. Sirius had spent the last nine and a half years being spit on by prison Aurors and tormented by dementors. To hear a man speak so passionately against the injustices he'd suffered, and demand satisfaction on his behalf, sent a wave of emotion through his chest. Harry and Harley were equally shocked. Mr. Alberts had always seemed so mild mannered. Shrewdly intelligent, yet impassive. There was nothing impassive about the way he spoke for Sirius. He stood out like an avenging angel in grey robes.

After saying his piece to the court, Mr. Alberts turned to his clients. "Lord Black, Miss Black, Mr. Potter, can you please follow me?" All three nodded, wide eyed.

Just before the group reached the doors Mr. Alberts spun on the spot to address the dumbstruck court one last time. "I almost forgot. Lord Black's wand, you should have brought it to this trial. Where is it?"

Dumbledore turned to Amelia Bones, head of the DMLE. It was her department's job to handle evidence, so she should have brought the wand to the trial. Amelia just blinked in response. She'd been told by Crouch and Dumbledore that there was no doubt about Sirius Black's guilt. She'd been assured that his guilt was proven conclusively all those years ago and the trial was a farce. Three drops of Veritaserum and Sirius Black would be on a boat back to Azkaban. She never thought she'd be seeing him leave the courtroom a free man.

Mr. Alberts' lips formed a thin line at the silence following his request. "Are you telling me that you didn't bring his wand to trial? How can you try a man for a crime and not bring the most significant piece of evidence? Did you ever even _test_ it for the curse that killed the muggles? You arrived directly after! Where is his wand? I demand it be brought here at once!" Harry and Harley huddled together at the anger displayed by Mr. Alberts. They knew he was on their side, but both had less than pleasant experiences where angry adults were involved.

Sirius noticed this and pulled the children to him. He didn't like the way they responded to the yelling and started to wonder where they'd been staying since he was imprisoned. He'd assumed Harry was with the Longbottoms and Harley was with his cousin, Andromeda. Now that he really thought about it, why were the children here alone? His brain was still befuddled from his years in Azkaban and he was having a difficult time following these facts to their likely conclusion.

They watched as Amelia Bones sent an Auror named Shacklebolt to fetch the wand out of the evidence room. The man returned in under a minute with the wand in hand. Mr. Alberts immediately demanded that Priori Incantato be performed on the object.

At his boss' nod, Auror Shacklebolt performed the spell. He held it on the wand as the last five spells cast formed above the wand. _Rennervate…Rennervate…Rennervate…Rennervate…Tempus._

Sirius had tears running down his cheeks as he watched the words flash above his wand. "I used Tempus to check the time when I went to check on Peter and found his house empty. I was worried, so I went directly to Godric's Hollow. When I entered the house and…and found…James," the last word was barely a whisper, and both children embraced the man as he tried to explain the last five spells he'd used. The children's comfort strengthened Sirius, enabling him to finish what he had to say. "I found James…and tried to wake him up with the Rennervate. I refused to believe…but he wouldn't wake up."

Sirius' frail muscles failed him in that moment. His knees were simply too weak for his legs to hold him and he fell the ground. He was quickly embraced by Harry and Harley, who were both struggling with their own sorrow.

"You mean to tell me," Mr. Alberts began, his voice drawing the attention of the newly reunited family, "that the likes of _Bellatrix Lestrange,_" he spat the name in disgust, "received a trial, but you didn't even bother to perform Priori Incantato on Lord Black's wand? You arrested him _immediately_ after the cursed was fired!"

Mr. Alberts was shaking with barely contained fury when his only answer was silence. Director Bones wasn't sure what to say. She had only been an Auror when Sirius, her colleague at the time, was arrested. Barty Crouch was the Director and had obviously made an egregious error in judgment. All she could provide in that moment was an assurance that the matter would be thoroughly investigated. She didn't think this would mean much to the three people huddled on the ground in tears or the angry man defending them, but there was nothing else to offer.

"Mr. Alberts, Lord Black, I was unaware of the circumstances regarding Lord Black's arrest until two days ago. I was assured by the officials involved that Sirius Black's guilt had been proven conclusively upon his arrest. This does not excuse the absence of the wand in question at the trial, and I apologize on behalf of my department for the oversight. Unfortunately, I cannot provide any answers at this time. The only thing I can offer is my assurances that this matter will be investigated fully. I understand that this is wholly inadequate in light of the revelations of this trial, but it is all I have at this moment."

"It will have to do for now, Madame Bones, but I expect results," said Mr. Alberts, striding toward Auror Shacklebolt with his hand extended expectantly. Shacklebolt looked to his boss for confirmation before placing the wand in the man's outstretched hand.

Once he'd secured Sirius' wand, Mr. Alberts spun on his heels and strode purposefully out of the courtroom with Sirius, Harley and Harry following closely behind. He led them to a side chamber just down the hall.

After securing the door and placing silencing charms on the room, Mr. Alberts turned to his clients, attempting to regain his composure. He approached Sirius and passed the man his wand. Sirius' face lit up happily at the reunion and he fingered the wand reverently, causing Harley to burst into giggles.

Sirius looked to her with a questioning eyebrow. "Peaches and Herb," she shrugged. At this she caught Harry's eye and they both broke down into gales of laughter.

"I don't follow," said Sirius, reveling in their smiling faces.

Harry and Harley looked to each other before breaking out into song,

_Reunited and it feels so goooood_

_Reunited cause we understood_

_There's one perfect fit and sugar this one is it_

_We both are so excited cause we're reunited, hey hey!_

After finishing their rendition of Reunited, the children resumed their snickering.

Sirius smiled at their antics. "Well, I am quite happy to be reunited with my wand, but I'm exultant beyond words to be reunited with the two of you."

The trio shared another hug while Mr. Alberts pulled some paperwork from his briefcase. Their interactions had soothed him a bit, and he was now able to put forth the professionalism he'd let slip in his anger.

"Lord Black, these are guardianship papers for Mr. Potter. You'll need to sign them to claim your guardianship over him," informed Mr. Alberts.

Sirius turned to Harry. "Is this what you want, Harry? I won't take you away from the Longbottoms unless it's what you want."

Harry looked to Harley in confusion. She shrugged, just as lost as he was, so he turned his questioning gaze back to his godfather. "Longbottoms?"

Sirius looked to his godson questioningly. "Yes, Harry. If I something happened to your parents, and I was unable to care for you, you were supposed to go to Frank and Alice Longbottom."

Harry shrugged. "I don't know who those people are. I've been living with my Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia. I'm not going back there. Ever. I'd love to live with you and Harley."

"What?" Sirius shouted, causing the children to take a step back. This reaction caused the emotions to war within Sirius. He was angry that they seemed to be skittish around upset adults and his temper wanted to flare in righteous indignation toward whoever instilled this response in the children. However, he knew that if he allowed his temper to take hold of him, he'd only end up scaring them more.

"Harry, Lily's sister hates magic. Why would you be placed there?"

Mr. Alberts interrupted before Harry could inform his godfather that Dumbledore placed him at the dreaded Dursleys. "Lord Black, Frank and Alice Longbottom were not in a position to care for Harry, either."

"What happened to them?" asked Sirius, his brow furrowed worriedly.

"They are permanent residences of the Janice Thickey ward at St. Mungo's. They were…tortured into insanity by Bellatrix Lestrange," Mr. Alberts informed regretfully.

Sirius took in a sharp breath, collapsing into one of the room's wingback chairs. "Frank and Alice…" he whispered mournfully.

Taking deep breaths, Sirius turned to Mr. Alberts and signed the papers. When the man slipped from the room to file the documents with the Ministry, Sirius turned his attention to his daughter.

"What about you, pup? Where is Andromeda?" Sirius asked.

"Erm?" was her brilliant reply.

"Where have you been staying, pup?" he asked, dreading the answer.

"St. Anthony's Orphanage," she replied.

Sirius dropped his head into his hands. What had he done? He'd failed his daughter and godson spectacularly. When they needed him the most he'd let his grief take hold and abandoned them in his quest for vengeance.

"I'm so sorry," he said brokenly. "I should have been there."

Harley sat on her father's lap. She didn't know where this affection came from. She was usually very wary of people when she first met them, but her heart had instantly opened and allowed her father in. She thought it might be her magic that recognized him. He just felt like her father from the moment he pulled her into his embrace.

She gently cupped his cheeks and brought his face back up so she could look him in the eyes. "Don't Daddy. I think Harry and I would agree that we are all victims here, and we can't change the past. But we're together now. We can be a family, a real one. Not like those people who tried to adopt me only to send me back after my first bout of accidental magic, or the Dursleys who are just awful. Neither Harry or I know how to be a part of a real family, but we can all learn together, and make a family that works for us."

Her father moved to embrace her, gesturing for Harry to join in their hug. The three of them were still relishing in their closeness when Mr. Alberts returned to the room. He was followed by Albus Dumbledore.

"Sirius," he said solemnly. "I'm so sorry. If I would have known you'd switched secret-keepers I would have insisted that you had a trial. I'd tried to convince James to name me as secret-keeper, but he insisted it be you. I cannot convey to you the magnitude of my grief over the injustice I allowed to befall you."

Harley and Harry eyed the man skeptically. He'd been one of the people to look the other way when Sirius was imprisoned without a trial, but if what he was saying was true, he'd had no reason to believe the man was innocent. If James Potter himself had told the man he was entrusting their location to Sirius, he'd have little reason to lose sleep over the lack of justice for a murderer.

The two children briefly met each other's eyes. They had an uncanny ability to read each other's thoughts with only a simple glance, and in that short moment, the pair agreed to defer to Sirius on the handling of Albus Dumbledore. If he thought what the man claimed was reasonable, so would they.

Sirius eyed him for a short moment. "I understand, Albus. We didn't tell _anyone_ we'd switched. It was supposed to be the perfect plan. It would have been if Peter hadn't been the traitor. Everything that happened all those years ago was his fault, Albus. If the situation was reversed, I wouldn't have fought for your trial, I can promise you that."

Dumbledore lowered his head solemnly. It looked to the children like he was attempting to hold back a great deal of emotion. "I am also sorry about young Harley growing up in the orphanage. I tried to help Mrs. Tonks find her, but we couldn't locate her anywhere. We feared the worst, but last year her name appeared on the school registry. We were all waiting with great anticipation the day before her birthday, when her address would be revealed. We still have no idea how she ended up in the muggle child care system."

Harley didn't like how the man spoke about her like she wasn't even there, but she was interested in what he was saying. "I have a feeling I know how that happened, but you'll understand if I'd like to keep the details to myself, Albus."

Dumbledore looked like he didn't understand _at all_ why Sirius wouldn't tell him his theory. The children thought Sirius probably wanted to keep the fact that he had been living in muggle London secret from the man. He probably intended for them to live there and wanted to be able to hide away if necessary.

"Very well, Sirius, but we need to speak about Harry's living arrangements. He needs to live with the Dursleys. It's imperative," claimed Dumbledore.

"_Never_ going to happen," Harley declared fiercely before Harry could even think of becoming worried about his fate.

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow at her impertinence, but her father just eyed her amusedly. He had no intention of allowing Harry to leave his custody after the boy told him he'd like to live with him. Part of Sirius wanted to challenge his daughter to see how fiercely she'd defend Harry, but something told him this would be a huge mistake. He was going to need to build a solid relationship with the children, and he needed to build a foundation of trust before he teased them about such important matters.

Sirius still had his arms around the two children, so he smiled at them while raising his hands to their heads and ruffling their hair. "You heard the girl, Albus. _Never_ going to happen."

"You don't understand, Sirius. Perhaps we can discuss this in private," Dumbledore suggested.

"You won't be discussing anything of the sort with him without my presence," stated Mr. Alberts.

"You can say whatever you need to say in front of Harry as well, Albus. I don't plan on keeping things that concern him secret from him," informed Sirius.

Dumbledore tried to hold back his frustration. Sirius just got out of prison and he didn't want to argue with the man, but he was not in any shape to protect the boy. The only place he'd be safe was at his mother's sister's house. "There are certain protections he has at his aunt and uncle's, Sirius. Protections provided to him by Lily's sacrifice. Protections only available in the house of one of her blood relatives. Petunia Dursley is the only one left."

Harry was angry. Dumbledore had taken him to the Dursleys to _protect_ him? "Protect me from what?" Harry asked with an edge to his voice only Harley could distinguish.

"There are many people out there who might wish to harm you, Harry," explained Dumbledore gently. "The wards placed on the house protect you from those people."

"Oh yeah?" he asked defiantly. "And what is to protect me from the Dursleys then?"

Harley stepped out of her father's embrace to stand next to Harry. He put his arm around her, drawing her into his side, and she wrapped her arms around his waist. She knew he didn't like people to know about his life at the Dursleys, but this man was threatening to send him back there, so he felt like he had to. "Harry," she whispered lowly so only he could hear. "You don't have to tell him anything. I won't let him send you back there. Even if I have to break you out and we have to run away. You aren't going back."

Dumbledore watched the young girl comfort an obviously distressed Harry. Truth be told, Dumbledore could use some comforting himself. What in Merlin's name did the boy mean? Why would he need protection from his own family? Family Dumbledore himself placed him with. The wary old man didn't think he could take any more guilt lumped onto his conscience on this day, and he prayed the boy was exaggerating.

Harry was about to elaborate despite Harley's generous offer, but Sirius stopped him. "Harry, I don't want you to feel like you have to reveal anything if you're uncomfortable. I would like for you to tell me, eventually, what happened at the Dursleys, but I want you to do it because you trust me enough with the information. Mr. Alberts has filed the guardianship papers, and I will not allow you to be sent back, regardless of what anyone says," Sirius assured before turning back to Dumbledore. "I'll keep him safe, Albus."

Both Harry and Harley felt a rush of affection for Sirius in that moment. Usually adults wanted children to tell them everything, regardless of whether it made them feel completely uncomfortable. Sirius was going to allow Harry to reveal his life at his own pace, and for that he was eternally grateful. Both children approached the man and enveloped him in a hug. It seemed there were a lot of hugs going around that day.

Dumbledore was about to argue, even though he was completely out of bounds. Luckily, Mr. Alberts intervened. "Chief Warlock, my client's decision stands. You have no legal ground to dictate Mr. Potter's living arrangements. If you have no other business to discuss with my clients, I'm going to have to ask you to excuse us. I have made an appointment for Lord Black at St. Mungo's, and we must be going."

Sirius scowled at this._ I don't _want_ to go to the hospital_, he thought rather petulantly. He just wanted to take his kids home, and he'd need to go by Gringotts to get the keys to his apartment before they could do that. St. Mungo's would just prolong the whole ordeal that much longer. Harry and Harley had already been told of the trip to the hospital, and were eager to have Sirius checked over. Harley could see his reluctance, so she pushed his lips back, revealing his rotted teeth. "Honestly, Daddy, they at least need to do something about these teeth," she said cheekily.

Sirius barked a laugh before sighing dramatically. "Fine, pup. I _guess_ I'll brave the hospital so you don't have to look at my ugly teeth. I want to run by Gringotts first, though. We were living in an apartment before everything happened, and I need to get the keys."

Sirius saw Harry and Harley's faces light up. "Oh, we've been living there for the past week, actually," explained Harry. "We already have the keys and everything."

Harley smirked at her father's astonished face. "Come _on_, Daddy. When Hagrid took us to Diagon Alley we visited the Black family vault. You don't honestly think we'd go back to the orphanage or Dursleys if we had access to all that gold? No, we knew we'd be staying elsewhere."

"Well, Harley did. I was prepared to go back to the Dursley's but Harley wouldn't allow it," Harry interjected.

"Yes, yes. Details. Anyway, we needed a place to stay, so we asked Bogrod and Gornuk about the Black and Potter properties. Bogrod suggested the apartment, so that's where we've been the last week."

Sirius smiled at his daughter proudly. Mini Marauder, she was. "Well then, I guess I have no reprieve before the hospital then," he mock pouted.

"Nope!" exclaimed Harry and Harley together.

Mr. Albert watched his clients fondly. The little family had been through a lot of hard times, and their silly banter filled him with hope. He'd always had an issue with the lack of trial for Black, and while he was glad to finally bring the truth to light, he was worried about how the family would fare. Azkaban can do terrible things to a man's sanity, but Black seemed to have come out with his mind intact. _Thank Merlin_. He was dreading the reaction of the children if they were able to prove Sirius was innocent only to find out it no longer mattered as the man had lost his mind in prison.

"Well, now that you all have your living arrangements figured out, you'll portkey over to St. Mungo's. They've provided you with a private room, and you'll portkey directly there as to avoid any crowds," at this Mr. Alberts placed a comforting hand on Sirius' shoulder. "Lord Black, I would prefer for you to lay low for a little while, avoiding all wizarding districts, for about a week. The story should be all over the Prophet tomorrow, but I think it would be wise to let the news sink in for a bit before you try and make any public appearances."

Sirius nodded his head in agreement. He'd probably need to adjust to being out of that tiny cell before he ventured into public, anyway. It was quite an adjustment. When he was ready to venture out, he'd stick to muggle areas for a while.

Mr. Alberts held out a quill, similar to the one he'd sent Harry and Harley for their morning travels. "I'll just need to activate it," he said.

"Wait!" Harley demanded. "Please tell us how to avoid landing on our arses with that bloody thing!"

"Harley Lillian Black!" Sirius exclaimed. "Language, young lady," he admonished weakly, his lips twitching in a poor attempt to hide his mirth.

She smiled sheepishly at him. "Sorry," she said, not really meaning it.

Sirius chuckled, seeing straight through her. "It's alright, Pup. Now, when you start to feel to pull on your navel weaken, pull your legs under you and start walking, even though there's no ground beneath you. It will give you a much smoother landing."

Harry and Harley both nodded. "Why do you call her Pup?" asked Harry.

Sirius grinned and ruffled his godson's hair. "We'll talk about that when we get home, Prongslette."

Harry and Harley looked bemusedly to one another. _Prongslette? _Harley mouthed. Harry just shrugged his shoulders, smiling goofily. He liked being a part of a real family. A family where he had a nickname that wasn't derogatory, even if he wasn't sure what it meant.

"Alright, then," said Mr. Alberts. "This is where I will leave you all. As I said, the portkey will take you directly to your room. Miss Black has already set up payment with the goblins, and the hospital knows to provide you with the utmost care, no matter the cost. Now, this portkey will take you directly to the apartment the children spoke of. It's a 'Congratulations on clearing your name,' gift from the goblins. All you have to do is activate it with the _Portus_ incantation," he explained, passing one of the small stone goblin portkeys to Sirius. "Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. I'll be in touch."

"Thank you, Mr. Alberts," Sirius said, shaking the man's hand. His voice was thick with emotion.

"Just doing my job, Lord Black. You should really thank those kids for hiring me," responded Mr. Alberts.

With a nod, Mr. Alberts vacated the room, leaving the trio to portkey over to St. Mungo's on their own.

Sirius regretted agreeing to the visit almost immediately. They'd run every diagnostic test ever invented on him and forced potion after disgusting potion down his throat. Then they'd given him a potion regimen with a million different potions to be taken over the next month. Oh, and they'd fixed his teeth. Much to the satisfaction of his daughter, they were now gleaming white.

After enduring his torture, Sirius activated the goblin portkey that sent him to the apartment. As soon as they arrived (both Harry and Harley landing firmly on their feet, thank you very much) Sirius collapsed onto his comfortable old couch, releasing a sigh of contentment. He was _home_.

Harry and Harley smiled at the content look on the man's face as he lay on the couch, completely relaxed. The silence was broken by Harry's stomach. Both children had barely managed to choke down a couple pieces of toast that morning, and now it was one in the afternoon.

Harley grabbed the room service menu and perused the choices, followed by Harry and Sirius. With their food ordered, the three sat around the great room getting to know one another. Both children were eager to hear about Hogwarts, Harry's parents and Harley's mum. Sirius told them all about the hijinks the Marauders got into back at school. He told them about his and James' animagi forms and all the fun they had during the full moons. Harry soaked it all up, grateful that Sirius didn't mention the fourth Marauder too often.

The reminiscing continued all throughout lunch, dinner and well into the evening. At one point Sirius went digging through a bunch of junk stuffed in a closet. He returned with a huge photo album filled with memories. Harry didn't even bother holding back his emotions as he watched his parents laughing and smiling in the wizarding photos. He was with his family now. He no longer lived in a home where he had to shut himself away. He had his girl and his godfather, and they both loved him.

When it was time for bed, there was a bit of a tiff. Harry and Harley had gotten used to sleeping in the same bed and weren't keen on separating. Sirius, however, had to put his foot down. Harry may be James' son, his godson, but no way in hell was he letting the boy sleep in the same bed as his eleven year old daughter. No way.

"I understand why you slept together while you were here alone," Sirius reasoned. "But I'm here now, so you have nothing to be afraid of. Besides, you're not going to be allowed to sleep in the same bed at Hogwarts. You'll be separated into boys and girls dorms. You shouldn't get too used to sleeping together. It will only be more difficult to be apart when you get to school."

The children begrudgingly agreed, leaving the master suite to Sirius and finding their own rooms. With all the excitement they'd experienced the past week, the children were asleep almost instantly.

Sirius watched them both sleep for a little while before heading back to his room. He couldn't believe he was free. He looked to the bed and a sudden painful lurch filled his chest. It had been his and Cas' bed. He bought the apartment after she died, but he'd kept their bed. Wanting to put off sleep for a little while longer, Sirius headed for the bathroom. He drew a nice warm bath and soaked his aching body in the warm water.

Warmth. It had been absent in his life for the last nine-and-a-half years. Azkaban is cold, freezing, even in the summer months. The dementors see to that. The prisoners aren't given any blankets or pillows. They are forced to sleep on the stone floor of their empty cells with absolutely no comfort. He was lucky he had Padfoot. His thick black coat kept him from freezing too severely on the worst nights.

Sirius relished in the warmth of the water, allowing the calming agents he'd added to the water to seep straight into his bones. He thought about the children asleep in the apartment and smiled. They'd fought for him. They didn't even know if he was innocent, but they'd demanded he at least see his day in court. Seeing his daughter's face had filled his soul with more warmth than any bath ever could. She was so beautiful. She had his eyes and hair, but the rest of her was all Cas, his beautiful wife, murdered brutally by that bastard, Voldemort.

He tried very hard not to be bitter about his time in prison, but it was hard. How could anyone think he'd ever help the man who killed his wife, the mother of his child? He couldn't allow this grief to consume him, however. He had two children who needed him. Two children he vowed not to let down again.

When the water began to cool, Sirius rose from the bath and dried himself off. He hadn't really thought about pajamas, though. He wasn't too keen on sleeping nude with his children in the apartment. What if one of them tried to crawl into bed with him?

There were some bags in the corner of the room that he hadn't noticed before. He rifled through them and realized the kids had bought him some clothes a few days before. They'd left the receipt in the bag ('in case they don't fit' scrawled across the top), causing Sirius to whistle lowly. They'd bought him some _nice_ clothes.

He found a nice pair of cotton pajama bottoms and slipped them on before getting into bed. The bed felt entirely too _soft_. Not at all like the hard floor he was used to. He tossed and turned for a long while, wishing those bloody healers had included some dreamless sleep potion in their bag of goodies. Unfortunately they said the potion would only impede his recovery and he'd be in danger of becoming addicted due to all the other potions he was taking.

The clock claimed it was one in the morning. Sirius was exhausted, but still couldn't find sleep. All he could think about was his daughter in the other room and his bed being too soft. Finally he changed into Padfoot and trotted down to his pup's room. Her door was cracked open, so he nosed his way in, gently jumping on the bed and curling into a ball by her back.

A few minutes later Harley shifted in her sleep, turning over and throwing her arm around him, snuggling into his body. He growled low in contentment. Feeling his daughter's warmth at his back, Sirius finally fell into a peaceful sleep.

**A/N:**

**First order of business, I have to thank all my lovely reviewers! You guys blew me away last chapter; I can't thank you enough! You have no idea how much it means to me. :)**

**Jovie Black, jafr86, Lara, Arianightshade, aLLmarieChan, Kami no Kage, hufflepuff, thanks for the update. about ron, bleacher, Naginator, Lara, darkHPfan411, amongthestarsx, LightningStar 0.o, and Dark Void Princess 21**

**You guys are awesome! Virtual Honeyduke's chocolate for you all!**

**Now, onto this chapter! I really wanted to get through the rest of the summer, and I hadn't really planned on spending this much more time in the after effects of the trial, but when I started writing, this is what came. There are a lot of things I've always wanted to say for Sirius, so I used Mr. Alberts as my spokesman. Also, I felt in the end, skipping over this part would have seemed false, or incomplete. I felt like it was important. **

**Anyway, I decided to go ahead and post this instead of waiting until I finished writing about the rest of the summer, as I wanted to post something tonight. I tend to like longer chapters, but I figured it was long enough to stand on its own. I WILL be getting through the summer in the next chapter (which I will try to post by Wednesday or Thursday), maybe even getting us through the sorting. We shall see. **

**I think that's it. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Please Please Please let me know what you think! I love hearing from you so very much! Thanks!**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7:

Harley awoke to find herself cuddled into her father's back. Well, her father's dog form's back. It was a rather strange realization. He began to stir when he felt her moving around behind him. He opened his eyes to see his daughter smiling widely above him. She reached up and scratched him behind the ear, giggling as his eyes seemed to roll back in contentment.

Sirius didn't want to change back in front of his daughter, as he didn't wear a shirt to sleep. He didn't want to scare her with his skeletal form. He'd definitely need some fattening up. With that in mind, he playfully licked Harley's face before trotting back to his own room.

They both followed their noses to the kitchen to find Harry preparing breakfast. He'd noticed his godfather's thin frame and wanted to do something nice for him. His whole life had changed since his birthday and he couldn't be happier. He found that he didn't mind cooking when he was doing it for people who'd actually appreciate it.

Harry was setting the plates on the table when Sirius and Harley sleepily stumbled into the dining room. "Good morning!" he said cheerfully.

They both smiled at the spread before them. "Harry," Sirius said. "This looks wonderful, but you didn't have to do all this. How on earth did you even learn to cook all this?"

"Oh, well, cooking was one of my chores at the Dursleys. I don't mind doing it, especially since I'm going to get to eat with you," Harry replied.

Sirius eyes widened. What did he mean by that? He glanced over to Harley to see the comment had no effect on her. She'd sat down and started loading her plate.

"What do you mean, Prongslette? They wouldn't let you eat with them?" asked Sirius.

"Hmm…" said Harry, his concentration on the full plate before him. "Oh, no. They'd let me eat whatever was left…if there was anything left. It's okay, though. Harley helped me stock my cupboard, so I didn't have to go hungry after I met her. Plus Mary would bring us lunch everyday and feed us dinner after our lessons. She'd also give us fruits and nuts to store at home."

Sirius was stunned. There were so many things wrong with what the boy had just said; he didn't know where to begin. He decided to start with the cupboard. "What do you mean, _your_ _cupboard_, Harry?"

Harry looked quickly to Harley, realizing what he'd just revealed. He hadn't meant to; he just felt so comfortable in his new home. She was staring back wide eyed. She didn't want Harry to have to talk about it if he didn't want to, but she didn't want to lie to her father, either.

"Can we discuss this later, Dad? Like after we're finished eating at least?" asked Harley.

Sirius reluctantly agreed, noting the relieved look Harry sent his daughter. Harley decided to bring up something less horrible about their childhood in an attempt to lighten the mood, and take the spotlight of Harry's less than stellar upbringing. "Dad, Harry and I have a dance lesson with our friend Mary today. We go three afternoons a week. Do you want to come?"

Harry nodded his head enthusiastically. "You should come, Sirius. Harley is brilliant."

Sirius smiled at the children. He knew what Harley was doing and it made him love her even more. "I'd love to see you dance, pup."

The breakfast discussion took a much more positive turn after that, mainly focusing on Mary and everything she'd done for them. "We told her we'd been staying with a friend of my parents'," said Harley. "We didn't think she'd let us leave on our own if she knew we had no adult supervision. I don't know how to tell her you're my father without explaining the whole situation, which is rather unbelievable. The story is even more fantastic if you leave out magic, strangely enough." Harley felt awkward. She didn't want to deny her father, but it would be very difficult to make Mary understand the situation.

Sirius could see his daughter struggling with the idea of denying that he's her father, and it warmed his heart. "It's alright, princess. It would be very difficult to explain without breaking the Secrecy act. We'll just say I'm your guardian."

Harley beamed at him and the conversation continued on about the wonders of their friend Mary. Sirius was more than grateful to the woman. It seems like she'd seen something off about their home lives and taken it upon herself to look after them. He'd have to think of a way to thank the woman.

Harry started to clear the table when he'd finished his meal, but Harley stopped him. "No way, Harry. You cooked we clean," she declared, daring her father to contradict her.

Sirius chuckled. "Yes ma'am," he said, giving her a mock salute.

Harry smiled uncertainly, seemingly awkward watching someone else perform a chore for which he'd been responsible for so long.

They retired to the drawing room after breakfast, Sirius intent on finding out what Harry meant about "his cupboard." Before he could begin the discussion, an owl swooped in and dropped a newspaper, along with a note from Mr. Alberts, in Sirius' lap. The note simply read:

_Thought you might like to see this._

The children sat on either side, eager to see what the paper read. There was a massive picture of Sirius' mug shot on the front page. Sirius was holding up his prison number, screaming to the people outside the photograph, clearly in agony. The word 'INNOCENT' was printed diagonally across the picture in big bold letters.

The article went on to explain the events leading up to the trial, including some quotes from Mr. Alberts. The trial transcript was printed in its entirety, revealing the true perpetrator to be Peter Pettigrew. The article urged its readers to spread the word about Sirius' innocence so the man could leave his home without worrying about being assaulted. There were some rather dramatic descriptions of the children, which Harry and Harley could have done without, but other than that the trio was rather happy with the article.

Sirius wasted little time steering the conversation back to Harry's morning statements. He assured the boy that nothing would change, regardless of what happened with the Dursleys. He told him that he wouldn't pressure him to speak about everything that happened there, but he wanted clarification on the cupboard statement.

Harry ashamedly confessed to living in the cupboard under the stairs. He told Sirius about how they'd lock him in there, only letting him out to go to school, do chores or use the restroom.

Sirius was _livid_. How dare those monsters treat his godson that way? He forced himself to sit still for a few long moments, bringing his rage under control. This was not an action one typically associated with Sirius Black. He had always had a volatile temper, completely incapable of controlling his emotions. He was a Gryffindor, after all. They're not exactly known for their subtlety.

A raging Sirius Black is not what the children needed to see, though, so he held himself in check. Barely. He could deal with the Dursleys when the kids left for Hogwarts. He wouldn't do anything illegal. He just planned to ruin them financially. Yes, that would have to do.

The kids spent the morning showing Sirius the Nintendo Wii they'd purchased earlier in the week, as well as the games they'd bought. He particularly enjoyed Mario Kart. Time flew by quickly and they were almost late for their lesson with Mary. Luckily their chauffer, Mitch, was a very skilled driver. He'd be awesome at Mario Kart, thought the children…and Sirius.

Harry and Harley were eager to introduce Sirius to their teacher, and wasted no time dragging him over to her. "Mary! This is Sirius Black, our new guardian. Sirius, this is Mary Murphy, our teacher and friend," introduced Harley.

Sirius liked the way the woman smiled fondly at his daughter and godson. It was clear the woman held affection for the kids, and Sirius was glad the kids had someone in their lives to look out for them.

Sirius sat off to the side and watched the children run through their exercise regimen. He was surprised by how fit they both were, and realized in that moment the magnitude of the debt he owed to their teacher. She'd kept them nourished and healthy when no one else would. Not only that, but she'd been a constant in their lives. Someone the children could count on. Perhaps he could start a college fund for that little bump in her stomach.

Harry sat beside him after they finished exercising. "I don't really dance unless their doing hip hop or tumbling. I pretty much just watch," he explained.

Sirius watched his daughter dance in wonder, his throat choking with emotion. She was so talented. Seeing how much she was enjoying herself also gave Sirius an idea. He could hire a witch to instruct the children while they were in school, preferably a muggleborn who'd be familiar with muggle dancing and music. He could even buy a home just outside Hogsmeade where he could have electricity. He could turn one room into a dance studio and another into a workout room. He could use the training himself. The instructor could floo there for lessons three times a week, keeping to their current schedule. He could even request for them to stay with him every other weekend. They'd never deny him after he'd been unjustly kept from them for nearly a decade. With this new plan in mind, Sirius contentedly watched his daughter dance about the room.

oOoOoOo

Thousands of miles away a man was sitting alone in a small, dingy apartment located in downtown Cairo. He was clutching a copy of The Daily Prophet, staring brokenly at his old friend's mug shot. A mug shot with the word 'INNOCENT' streaked across it. He didn't understand how this could be. James told him they'd made Sirius their secret-keeper. After Voldemort broke the Fidelius and Sirius killed Peter, Remus had fled Britain. He'd wanted nothing more than to be far away from the destruction caused by one of his dearest friends. At the time he'd been _glad_ they denied Sirius a trial. He wanted nothing more than for the traitorous bastard to be shut away in Azkaban, never to be heard from again.

He felt an immense lump of guilt well inside his gut as he remembered this. Sirius had been _innocent_. He'd spent nearly ten years in that prison, away from his child, and he'd been _innocent_. Harry had been raised away from the magical world, without his godfather. Padfoot, his lovable, inherently sociable friend spent nearly ten years in isolation, with only dementors to keep him company. It was all so _unfair_. He knew they were no saints in their youth. They were rebellious pranksters and sometimes less than pleasant, bordering on cruel to a certain Slytherin. Remus had felt guilty later in life for the treatment Severus received from them. He was an easy target, and didn't deserve what he got. But they'd never done anything to deserve the absolute devastation wrought in their lives ten years ago. And the children. _Merlin_, the children. They'd had to grow up on their own. No one even _knew_ what happened to little Harley.

Remus felt sadness and regret permeate him to the bone. If only he could go back and do it all again. He wanted to see Sirius, but how could he face him? He was certain Sirius would hate him, and rightfully so. However, he wasn't sorted into Gryffindor because he looked good in scarlet. He would face Sirius and apologize for abandoning him all those years ago. He was terribly afraid of what he'd find, and prayed his friend was able to hold onto his sanity after spending nearly ten years in Hell.

Remus Lupin then wearily rose from his kitchen table to begin packing his belongings. If Sirius could forgive him, he'd stay in Britain. The children were set to start Hogwarts in three weeks, and then Sirius would be left alone. He vowed to be there for his friend, and if the man would let him, help him recover from his years in prison.

oOoOoOo

Significantly closer to home, another man sat at his desk staring at The Daily Prophet article. He hadn't been nearly as close to Sirius as Remus Lupin, but they'd been friends, co-members of the Order. They were even distantly related. He too felt guilty for turning a blind eye to the lack of trial for the man, but there was something else about the article that bothered him more.

"_Peter Pettigrew killed the muggles. He is not dead."_

"_How is that possible? Peter Pettigrew was killed; all that was left of him was his finger."_

"_No. He shouted that I betrayed Lily and James before using the blasting hex as a distraction. He then __**sliced off his own finger**__ before escaping in his animagus form, __**which is a rat**__."_

Arthur Weasley was more than bothered by this revelation, for there was a rat in his home at that very moment. A rat that was missing a finger. A rat that had joined their family a few months after the fall of You-Know-Who. A rat that had lived over nine years, much longer than the lifespan of an ordinary garden rat who'd shown no signs of magic. Yes, Arthur Weasley was more than bothered.

The only person at his home that read the paper was his son, Percy. The rat used to belong to him, but they'd gotten him a new owl after they found out he'd made prefect. Scabbers the rat was then inherited by his youngest son, Ronald. There was no way the rat would ever see neither hide nor hair of a newspaper so long as he was kept his Ron's room. Arthur decided swift action was needed. He could be wrong…but, he could be _right_, and even more important than justice for the Potters and Blacks in that moment was the harsh reality that there could be a dangerous Death Eater in his home, with his family, at that very moment.

Arthur Weasley quickly rose from his desk in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts office at the Ministry of Magic and made his way to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. He bypassed the director's secretary and opened the door without as much as a courtesy knock.

"Arthur!" Director Bones exclaimed. "You can't just barge into my office!"

Arthur ignored the woman's indignation, quickly throwing up every privacy charm he could think of. When he turned back to the director, her expression had shifted from angry to curious. He laid the paper on the woman's desk and pointed to the portion of the trial that was currently causing bile to crawl up his throat.

"We have had a pet rat in our home for a little over nine years who is missing a finger on his left front paw. I may be overly paranoid and silly, but I am unwilling to risk my family's safety in the event that Scabbers is truly Peter Pettigrew. If he realizes Sirius' name has been cleared, and he's been implicated, he may turn violent. I'd like you to send some Aurors with me to The Burrow right now to perform the animagus reversal spell."

Director Bones was on her feet before Arthur finished speaking. "You're not being overly paranoid, Arthur. This is the most promising lead we have on Pettigrew at this point, and there have been _many_. We've more reports of _bloody rat sightings_ this morning than any other report we've ever had. Come, we will fetch Rufus and Kingsley and floo to your home at once."

The pair quickly brought the Ministry's two most capable Aurors up to speed. They then floo traveled directly to the Burrow from Director Bones' office. The living room was empty when they arrived, and the Aurors quickly threw up anti-apparition and portkey wards, just in case. They could hear the children and Molly Weasley outside, so they knew everyone was safely outside the house. They then followed Arthur to his son's room.

When they opened the door they immediately spotted the rat on the window sill, sleeping in the sun. Auror Shacklebolt quickly pointed his wand at the animal and stunned it. He then hovered the rodent to the middle of the room where Auror Scrimgeour performed the animagus reversal spell.

The rat began to grow, quickly morphing into a full grown man. He was quickly re-stunned, bound, and an anti-animagus charm was placed over his person. "Merlin's beard!" exclaimed Arthur. "I can't believe we've had that bastard in our house for over nine years! He's been to Hogwarts with Percy, for the love of Godric!" The man was horrified. He'd been unknowingly harboring the man who betrayed James and Lily Potter, a man who murdered a dozen people and framed someone who'd once been his best friend.

Arthur slowly sat down on his son's bed, shock and guilt plain on his features. He felt a strong hand squeeze his shoulder in an attempt to comfort. He looked up to see Kingsley Shacklebolt looking at him in sympathy. "Arthur, there was no reason for you to suspect your child's pet was a wizard. He's not even registered. As soon as you had reason to suspect you came to the DMLE. You have nothing about which to feel guilty."

Amelia Bones nodded her head in agreement. "Kingsley's right, Arthur. Because of your actions today we were able to capture Pettigrew. If you'd waited, even a day, he may have overheard your family speaking about the trial and Black's freedom. If he'd been given a chance to run we probably never would have found him. By Merlin, a rat as his animagus form. It'd be nearly impossible to capture him."

Arthur rose, nodding his head warily. He then followed the Aurors and Director back down the stairs. The house was still empty, so luckily none of the children witnessed the removal of a dangerous criminal from their home. "Take the rest of the day off, Arthur, be with your family. I'll let the Minister, and your department, know what's happened.

"Thank you, Amelia," he replied.

"No, thank you, Arthur. Sirius Black has suffered a lot this past decade. Now we can let him know we've caught the man responsible. I'll personally insure that Pettigrew gets Black's old cell," said Amelia with a grim smile.

Arthur smiled half-heartedly. It's hard to be too happy about the situation when an innocent man lost nearly a decade of his life. While the others flooed back to the Ministry, Arthur smiled sadly as he watched his children merrily running around outside his home. He couldn't imagine being in Sirius Black's position. He'd missed his daughter's childhood. Soon she'd be going off to Hogwarts and he'd only get to see her during the summers and holidays.

Now that Arthur didn't have to be concerned about a rogue Death Eater hiding in his home he had time to think about the injustices Sirius endured because of their pet rat. It broke his heart.

oOoOoOo

Harry and Harley had done a bit of research on fun attractions they could explore in London. So, on their way back into the city the two of them begged Sirius to take them to Namco Funscape. There was a large arcade, bowling alley, bumper cars and more. They had seen some brochures and it looked like so much fun. They had seen how much Sirius enjoyed playing the Wii and thought he'd have a blast too.

Sirius, although spending part of his life as a dog, was unable to resist the children's puppy dog eyes as they pleaded their case, and agreed to go to the arcade for dinner and games. He was very glad that he did, because he had a blast.

He'd never actually been ten pin bowling before, and found that he thoroughly enjoyed it. He also had a blast running around the facility with the two children. They laughed and played all manner of arcade games winning thousands of tickets between them. There were no prizes available that the family couldn't simply purchase at a store, so they gave their tickets out to some kids who'd been eying some of the larger prizes with longing.

The finally stumbled home later that evening, exhausted but happy. When they turned the lights on in the drawing room Sirius saw something move and immediately drew his wand. He clutched his furiously beating chest and let out a nervous chuckle when he realized it was just two owls. The children fixed the owls a bowl of water and retrieved some of Hedwig's treats while Sirius relieved them of their burdens.

After consuming some treats and a few sips of water, both owls flew out the open window into the night. Sirius turned to the children before opening the letters. "I need to show you two something," he said.

He led them to the back of the penthouse and said, "The location of the panic room is between Harley's bedroom and the bathroom."

The children watched, amazed, as the wall seemed to expand, revealing a huge metal door. Sirius opened it and the children followed him inside. "This room is under the Fidelius," he explained. "It is a charm that allows a secret to be kept inside a living soul. No one is able to discover the secret, in this case the location of the panic room, unless told by the Secret Keeper. In this case it's me. I can't believe I forgot to show you this yesterday. If anyone ever tries to break in or we're ever attacked, I want you both to come straight here. The room is charmed to be oxygenated without any vents, so it can be airtight without you suffocating." He then pointed to the wall, where the children could see out into the house. "This wall is charmed to be like a one way mirror. You can see out, but no one can see in."

Sirius then pulled out his wand, thought of seeing his daughter's beautiful face after nearly ten years in prison, and cast the Patronus charm. "Expecto Patronum!" Suddenly a white light burst from his wand, quickly taking the shape of a giant dog. "This is what is called a Patronus," he explained.

"Padfoot!" both children echoed excitedly.

"Yes," he smiled. "No two Patroni are the same. If you ever retreat to this room without me, I don't want you to open the door for anyone but me. Now, there are many ways to disguise your identity in the wizarding world. You can't always trust that you're talking to the person you think. So, I'll never ask you to open the door without producing my Patronus, first. No one can imitate another's Patronus, so it is the most effective means of identification. It works in this situation, because you can simply bar entrance to someone who doesn't produce my dog Patronus, but this won't typically work in ever day life."

"Why not?" asked Harry.

"Well, if the person isn't who they say they are, they won't want to cast the Patronus and reveal their identity. They'd probably just try to hex you, so you shouldn't let them get a spell off in the first place if you're unsure about them. If you're outside the safety of the panic room, you should ask a security question. A question only the person you're asking will be able to answer."

Harry and Harley nodded their understanding. Satisfied, Sirius led the children back into the drawing room. He then looked to the letters on the coffee table. The first one he picked up was from Mr. Alberts. He sat on the couch with the two kids flanking his sides. When he opened the letter both children leaned in to read along with him.

_Lord Black,_

_I have some received some very good news from Amelia Bones. It seems Arthur Weasley contacted her after reading The Prophet this morning. He was disturbed about the revelation that Peter Pettigrew was the true traitor, along with the fact that he was a rat animagus with a missing finger. You see, his family has had a pet rat, missing a finger on his left paw, for just over nine years. _

_The Director, along with a group of Aurors, left immediately for Mr. Weasley's home, where they found the rat sleeping on a window sill. After performing the animagus reversal spell on the rodent, the animal indeed proved to be Pettigrew. He is now in custody at the Ministry, awaiting his trial, which will be held next Tuesday at 9AM. If you'd like to attend, please owl me and I'll send you a portkey to my office._

_Also, I have been told the Mr. Crouch was asked to resign his position as the Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation, but unfortunately the Ministry refuses to bring criminal charges in this matter. I have tried to appeal to the Minister, but he insists that Crouch did the best he could during those trying times. I am sorry that I was unable to bring you anymore justice in this matter than Crouch's exit from the Ministry._

_Regards,_

_Carlton Alberts, Esq._

Harry and Harley stared at the paper on shock before turning their attention to Sirius. The man's eyes were trained on the paper. His face was completely emotionless and he didn't move a muscle. The children looked to each other, but neither of them knew what to do or say. They were startled from their silent conversation when Sirius started laughing. It was one of those crazy maniacal laughs that make the hair on the back of your neck stand on end.

Harley tentatively put a hand on her father's forearm. "Daddy?" she asked. "Are you okay?"

Seeing the uneasiness on his daughter's face sobered the man, and he quickly got himself back under control. "Yes, pup. It's just a lot at once. I'm free and Peter's going to get the cell he's deserved for the last nine-and-a-half years. I wonder if I can request for him to receive my old cell," he mused, draping his arms around the children at his sides. "You know, this is all because of you two. You forced the issue of my trial and now James and Lily have finally received their justice."

Both children smiled shakily. It _was_ a lot. Their lives had changed _drastically_ in the last week, and the changes were anywhere near complete. In just three weeks' time they'd be off to a school somewhere in Scotland. It was a bit bittersweet, really. They'd just gotten Sirius back into their lives and they were going to be separated almost immediately.

Sirius noted their forlorn expressions. "What is it Pup, Prongslette?"

"We just got you back," Harley said.

"And we're going to have to leave you in three weeks," Harry finished.

Sirius smiled at them. _They don't want to leave me._ That thought made his chest swell with happiness. No one had wanted to be anywhere near him for almost ten years; he'd been treated like the most vile vermin the world had to offer. Now the two most important people in his life were sad they'd have to leave him. Well he'd just have to remedy that.

"Yeah, I've been thinking about that, actually," he began, smiling at their hopeful expressions. It seems a shame for you kids to give up your lessons. The workout is something that will benefit you both in the future. It's made you both quick, nimble, agile – All of which are qualities that will give you a huge advantage in a duel. And Pup, you were born to dance, sweet girl. I don't want you to have to give that up."

Harley smiled at her father's praise. "Well, Mary gave me a boom box and some tapes to take with me to school. She also gave me and Harry a training guide to keep up with our workouts. We were just going to be practicing on our own."

Sirius smiled. He really liked that Mary. "Well, I'm sorry to say the boom box won't work inside Hogwarts, love. The wards fry electronics and there is no electricity."

Both Harry and Harley gaped at Sirius like he'd just told them the sky was green and the grass was blue. "No…electricity?" Harley asked.

"But…how is that possible?" Harry finished.

Sirius took in their dumbstruck expressions before throwing his head back and laughing with such merriment the pair couldn't even be upset that he was essentially laughing in their faces. After getting control of himself, Sirius turned his attention back to the children's amused faces. "Well," he began before a hiccup interrupted him. "Oh, excuse me," he said as the children giggled.

"Yes, well, wizards don't use electricity. They use magic to power things and mostly fire for light," he explained betwixt hiccups.

"Are you serious?" Harry asked.

"Of course I am, Harry. Who else would I be?" The children made eye contact briefly before breaking down into giggles. Sirius grinned. It had been a _long_ time since he'd received anything but annoyed groans when he used that joke, longer than he'd been in Azkaban, for sure.

After their chuckles died down Sirius pulled out his wand. "Lumos," he said. His wand tip lit up like a flashlight. The children's eyes gleamed at the sight of his magic and Sirius grinned. "It's a simple spell you'll learn straight away. Now, about those lessons…"

Both children were bouncing excitedly after Sirius finished explaining his ideas about purchasing a house as close to Hogsmeade as possible while still having access to electricity. "Now, my seven years in Hogwarts were some of the best years of my life. I don't want to take you away from the school if it's not what you want," he started before being interrupted.

"It's what we want," they chorused.

"I hate the thought of leaving you until Christmas," Harley admitted. "It's been eating me up a bit inside."

"Me too," Harry agreed.

Sirius once again felt a pleasant warmth fill his chest. His kids (yes, he thought of Harry as his own) didn't want to leave him any more than he did. He pulled them both into his embrace, soaking up the feeling of having them safe in his arms. He sent out a vow to his best friend, his brother, James. _I'll do everything I can to protect him, Prongs. I'll make sure he knows how much he's loved, how much his parents loved him. I promise._

"I love you, Daddy," said Harley, so quietly he almost didn't hear it. It scared Harley a little bit to realize she loved her father. The only person she'd ever really _loved_ was Harry. She was fond of Mary, but if circumstances changed and she never saw the woman again she'd be able to go on with her life. She'd always be grateful for both introducing her to dance and always being there for her and Harry during their tumultuous primary school years, but she'd live. She'd miss her terribly, yes. _But she'd live_.

Harry had been the most important thing in the world to Harley since that day they became friends behind the school dumpster. They'd shared _everything_ with each other. They'd laughed together, cried together, learned together. She and Harry were like peanut butter and jelly. Bread and butter. Peas and carrots. Milk and honey. Batman and Robin. Mario and Luigi. Needle and thread. Meat and potatoes. Salt and Pepper. _Merlin and Nimue_. They just belong together and would never be the same apart. Their bond was indestructible and Harley knew that she'd _never_ survive if something happened to Harry.

It had been just her and Harry for so long, but now she had her father. She'd never really put much thought into the idea of a father. There'd been seven men who'd tried to fill the role, but it had never felt right. In the end they'd all rejected her and that left a rather bad impression on the young girl. However, when she met Sirius she finally understood. This was her father and he loved her unconditionally. She was a piece of him and him of her. Their bond, too, was unbreakable.

Harry also felt love in his heart for his godfather. "I love you, too, Sirius," he said. Unlike Harley, he'd always longed for parental love. He'd seen it up close and personal every day at the Dursleys, but they'd never had any to spare for him. Sirius wasn't even related to him, but he'd felt the familial love and acceptance from the moment they'd made eye contact. It absolutely floored Harry that Sirius showed him as much affection as he did Harley. She was his daughter and she'd been ripped away from him. He just got her back, yet he never made Harry feel like the meddlesome burden the Dursleys always told him he was. Quite the opposite, in fact. He made Harry feel loved and wanted. Needed even.

Not only had Sirius provided the parental love for which Harry was so desperate, he'd also given him back his own parents. His aunt and uncle had always told him they were worthless drunks, killed because of their carelessness, drinking and driving. Sure, Hagrid told him the truth, but it was Sirius, with his photo albums and stories of their adventures, that made Harry's parents_ real_.

Then there's the fact that Sirius gave him the most precious thing in the world to him. She'd given him Harley. Not directly of course, but without him she'd never have been born. For that he'd _always_ be grateful. His feelings for Harley mirrored hers exactly. He would do _anything_ for her. He loved her more than his own life. She'd always been there for him. She'd given him hope, a friend. She never looked down on him, never judged him. To him, she was perfect.

Sirius closed his eyes when he heard their professions. His children loved him. He pulled them to him tighter. "I love you too, both of you. More than anything in this whole world. Harry, I can never hope to replace your father, but I promise to love you just as much as he did. And by Merlin did that man love you. I will do everything in my power to protect the both of you from anything that's out there in this world. You can come to me with _anything_. I hope you know that."

He felt both children nod against his shoulders. He laid his cheek against the top of his daughter's head and sighed contentedly. The movement caused him to notice the second letter on the coffee table. He'd completely forgotten about it. Giving the children one last squeeze, he released them and stretched forward for the letter.

They both leaned forward as he opened the envelope, eager to read the letter with him. He chuckled. They were as curious as any lion. Gryffindors no doubt.

Sirius inhaled sharply when he opened the letter. The envelope had only said _Sirius_, and he hadn't paid attention to the handwriting. Seeing the missive before him, he immediately recognized it. The letter was from Mooney.

_Sirius,_

_I don't know what to say to you, old friend. I want to apologize, but I'd like to do it properly. Face to face. I understand if you hate me. To be honest I hate myself right now. I returned to London as soon as I saw the paper, so I'm nearby. I'll meet you any time or place if you're willing to see me. Again, I'll understand if you never want to see me again. If this is the case, please know that I am so very sorry for doubting you, Padfoot. I'm sorry for not fighting for you. _

_Sincerely,_

_Remus_

After reading the letter the children watched Sirius' face for his reaction. He stared at the parchment for a few moments before his face lit up into a brilliant smile. "Oh Mooney, you old dog. How could I ever hate you?"

Sirius immediately summoned some parchment and a muggle pen before turning to the kids. "How would you guys like to meet Mooney for breakfast tomorrow?" When the both nodded enthusiastically Sirius began to write his response.

_Mooney,_

_Do we need to update the Marauder's Map to say Missus Mooney instead of Messer, you old dog? Since when did you turn into such a girl? Of course I don't hate you. You had no reason to think me innocent, and if our situations were reversed I would have reacted the same way you did. If you are free in the morning, would you like to meet me, Harley and Harry for breakfast in the morning? Say Bill's at 9:30? Then you can come back home with us. I'd invite you straight here, but I don't feel comfortable sending that information in a letter._

_Your friend,_

_Padfoot_

Harley read the letter over her father's shoulder as he was writing. She'd huffed and let out an indignant, "Hey!" when her father teased his friend about acting like a girl. Harry was amused by this, but smartly kept it to himself.

Sirius chuckled at his daughter's ire. "Just a joke between old friends, pup," he said, kissing her forehead. He then turned to Harry. "Do you mind if I borrow your owl, Harry?"

"Sure," Harry said, beaming. "I named her Hedwig. I read about a witch with that name in my History of Magic book this morning. She seemed to like the name as well."

"Excellent choice, Harry," Sirius complimented. Hedwig seemed to realize her services were needed, as she flew in the open window at that precise moment.

After she left with her instructions the trio tiredly went their separate ways, ready for sleep. When Harley awoke the next morning she found herself snuggling into Padfoot again. He again awoke when he felt her stirring behind him. She scratched his belly instead of his ear and was rewarded with a furiously kicking leg. The sight had her bursting into delighted peals of laughter. He eventually stood and cuddled his muzzle under her chin before trotting off to his room.

Harley woke Harley and the pair met Sirius in the drawing room to see that Hedwig had returned. She was sleeping on the perch they'd set up in the drawing room and Sirius had a letter in his hands. He turned to them, smiling. "Bill's is about fifteen minutes from here. We'll need to leave around 9:10."

Both children nodded before heading off to their bathrooms to shower and dressed to meet Sirius' best friend.

oOoOoOo

Remus woke early, feeling nervous. He had been ecstatic after reading Sirius' response, laughing out loud at his old friend's teasing. He almost felt like he'd betrayed the man again. He should have known better than to think Sirius would hate him. It would seem Azkaban hadn't changed him that much at all, and for that he was relieved.

However, now that he was only about five minutes from their old favorite muggle diner, his hands were shaking with nervous energy. He was going to see his friend after abandoning him. He was going to see Sirius' daughter and James' son. It was all very overwhelming.

He arrived to the diner about fifteen minutes early. They were very busy, and the hostess told him there'd be a twenty minute wait. He politely took a number and walked to the waiting area, leaning against the wall. He was tapping his thumbs against his thigh, resisting the urge to pull out his wand and tap that instead.

About ten minutes later the door opened to a man and two children, all of them laughing boisterously. Remus recognized the man's laughter immediately, and turned his head sharply. When the two old friends made eye contact Sirius' face burst into a happy grin. "Mooney!" he exclaimed.

Sirius wasted no time bounding to Remus, pulling him into a tight embrace. "It's so good to see you, Remus," he said.

Remus was choked up. It _was_ good to see Sirius, to know he still had one of his four friends left. "Sirius," he choked out. "I'm so sorry."

"Oh tosh," Sirius said, waving his hand in a dismissive manner. "There'll be none of that, Remus." Sirius then gripped Remus' shoulder, leading him to the children standing a few feet away.

When Remus saw them he gasped. Harry looked nearly identical to James, only he had his mother's eyes. The likeness brought tears to his eyes, although he wouldn't allow them to spill. Merlin he missed his friend. Harley's face looked nearly identical to Cas'. She had Sirius' hair and eyes, but her face…It was Dorcas.

"Harry, Harley, I want you to meet your Uncle Mooney!" Sirius introduced happily.

Both children smiled and waved to Remus. He waved back absently. He couldn't get over their likenesses. Especially Harry.

"I know, Mooney," said Sirius. "It's like looking at an eleven year old James."

Remus nodded his agreement as he heard the hostess call their number. The children followed the two adults to their table. Sirius did a good job diffusing the tension and they soon dissolved into happy banter as Remus became more comfortable.

Harry and Harley were sitting on the opposite side of the booth from the two older men and enjoyed watching them reminisce with each other. They'd both try to outdo each other with the stories they'd tell and the children ate it up.

Harley learned a lot more about her mother with Remus present. Sirius had seemed reluctant to say too much about her when it was just the three of them, but now he seemed more comfortable with the topic. She learned how her mum and Harry's mum were best friends. James had been in love with Lily from the moment he met her on the train at eleven years old but Lily hadn't been impressed. She'd apparently rejected him quite thoroughly until the summer before their seventh year.

Sirius hadn't fallen for Cas until that same summer; he'd been a bit of a ladies man before that. He'd gotten into a huge fight with his mother when he returned from school because she wanted him to join Voldemort. He refused and ran away, staying with James' family. His mother had apparently hurt him quite severely when he'd denied her. Lily and Dorcas had been visiting James when Sirius showed up. Cas had helped Sirius' recovery over the summer, and they'd grown close. She'd been so sweet and comforting that he was toast. He'd fallen in love with her and never stopped.

Harley loved hearing her father speak about her mother. There was such reverence in his voice. Both Sirius and Remus agreed that Dorcas was one of the smartest witches of the age, just behind Lily. The pair of them dominated every class they took. Lily had loved Charms while Dorcas was very good at Defense.

Both men told Harley how loyal and caring her mother was. She'd do anything for her friends, always willing to throw herself in harm's way to protect someone she loved. She was also very fair and just. Both Lily and Dorcas hated bullying, which was one of the reason Lily refused James so many times. She didn't like the way he'd prank people all the time.

Both witches were very witty and intelligent, and not many people were brave enough to mess with them. Unfortunately, the pair only knew so much about Lily. They'd known her since she was eleven, of course, but they weren't really friends with her until their seventh year. Sirius knew Cas fairly well, obviously, since they'd been married. They didn't have terribly long together, however. Only about three years.

They tried to stay away from all the war stories, instead focusing on the fun times. This lead them back to stories about the famous Marauders.

The group stayed and talked for hours after they finished eating, leaving the restaurant around lunchtime. They then leisurely walked back toward Hyde Park. The found a deli and bought some sandwiches and a blanket before venturing into the beautiful park.

They found themselves a nice patch of grass in the sun, setting the blanket down and continuing their reminiscing. They stayed in the park well into the afternoon, reliving old times and giving the children as many happy images of their lost parents as they could think of.

They finally made their way back to the penthouse, Sirius inviting Remus to stay with them. They had plenty of room and Remus was happy to have some extra time with the children before they left for school.

The remaining weeks of summer flew by. Sirius found a dance instructor willing to teach the children. She'd attended the last two weeks of lessons with Mary to get a feel of the kids were used to. The woman's name was Katherine, and she too had been a dancer before leaving for Hogwarts. She knew what it was like to be stuck in the castle without the music and dance she'd been accustomed to, so she was eager to take the job. It didn't hurt that she'd be instructing Harley Black and Harry Potter. She was most impressed with the children, especially Harley. She couldn't wait to get her hands on the girl; she was so talented.

Sirius had ended up buying some land near Hogsmeade to build a house. Magical building was much quicker than muggle, so the house was built in two weeks. He hired muggle contractors to set up the plumbing and electrical system after the frame had been constructed. If that wasn't necessary he'd have had the house built in under a week.

Because they built the house from scratch they were able to build it to their specifications. There was an amazing dance studio that Harley adored, as well as a mini-gym. Sirius had even included a media room. The house was definitely a hit.

Sirius had been very surprised by the amount of time the children spent reading. They'd read ahead several months in all their books, as well as visiting the muggle library multiple times in the three weeks before school.

Sirius had asked them about it, as the idea of reading ahead, or worse yet, reading for _pleasure_ had never entered his mind when he was their age. He had been saddened by their response.

"Well, there's not much to do when you're locked in a cupboard most of the time. I would smuggle books home from the school library all the time. They kept me from going insane, and I loved being able to leave the Dursley house and get lost in a totally different world. That gave me an undeniable love of reading," Harry explained.

Harley had nodded her head in agreement. "No one really liked me at the orphanage, so I had to entertain myself. I spent a lot of time practicing dance during the warm months, but when it was really cold I'd spend my time reading. I love to read. We've both probably read every book they have in the library at our old primary school." Harry nodded his confirmation.

It saddened both Remus and Sirius to hear that the children had been so lonely. Not for the first time Sirius thanked whatever deity was listening that the two had found each other. He was so happy that they'd been there for each other that he didn't even care about their "relationship." They called each other boyfriend/girlfriend, but it was all very innocent. He had no doubt they'd be married one day, though. They just belonged together. The only thing that bothered him about this situation is that he'd never get to play that whole, 'If you break my daughter's heart, I'll break your legs' role. Oh well, it was a small price to pay to know his baby girl would never have her heart broken, and there was no one he'd approve of more than Prongs' son.

The children decided they didn't want to go to Pettigrew's trial. They knew he was guilty and didn't need to hear all the sordid details. They wanted to remember their parents in the way Remus and Sirius described them. Vibrant and full of life. Sirius _needed_ to go. He needed to see justice served for his fallen friend, for himself. Remus had agreed to stay with the children while Sirius attended the trial. Frankly, he hadn't wanted to see Peter at all. Just thinking about the traitorous rat made him feel sick to his stomach.

Sirius had come home after the trial feeling sullen and angry. Peter had done it all out of spite. He hated the attention James and Sirius received at school and he'd become bitter. They got nearly perfect grades without trying. They'd gotten the most beautiful girls in the school. They'd made the Quidditch team. He'd decided to show them what Peter Pettigrew could do, and make them sorry they ever thought they could be better than him.

The problem was that they _never_ thought they were better than him. They valued Peter as one of their closest friends. They loved him and would have died for him. But he'd betrayed them in the worst possible way. And for what? Petty jealousy? He turned his back on nearly a decade of loyal friendship for a master who cared _nothing_ for him. It was all so sad and unfair.

The children had dragged Sirius to Alton Amusement Park that afternoon in an attempt to cheer him up. It worked. Not only did he enjoy the thrill rides himself, but he loved watching the innocent smiles light up his children's faces. They gave him the strength to put the past behind him and look to the future.

By August 31st everything was set for the kids to start their new adventure. Their trunks were packed. Sirius had obtained the necessary permissions for the kids to spend every other weekend with him and three evenings a week in their dance/physical training class. He'd also started the goblins on a project to buy a majority share of Grunnings Drilling Company. Once he was the majority owner he'd boot Durlsey out of there. Wherever he worked next would be Sirius' new acquisition. The man would never work again. He'd also made an offer on the Smeltings School Harry's cousin was to attend. He'd be needing to find a new school when that deal closed.

All that was left was to make their way to Platform 9 ¾ the next day. It would be the first time Sirius Black had made a public appearance in the wizarding world since he'd been freed. He wouldn't miss it for the world, though. Harry and Harley were off to Hogwarts.

**A/N:**

**Alright friends, first I need to thank my lovely reviewers! You light up my liiiiife! You give me hope, to carry on! You light up my days and fill my nights with song! Basically you're my Debbie Boone! :)**

**Anonymous reviewer who has no name but left a really lovely review, LightningStar 0.o, Kami no Kage, Naginator, Angel JJK, HarryPotterNut94 and jafr86.**

**Thank you thank you thank you!**

**Alright, we're finally through the summer! Yay! I hope you enjoyed the introduction of Mooney and the capture of Pettigrew. I **_**really**_** hate that rat bastard.**

**I tried to address some of the things people have brought up in reviews in this chapter. Mostly the fact that they are in a relationship and only eleven and that they speak like they are older than eleven. Here's the thing about that. I don't particularly enjoy trying to write eleven year old dialogue, nor do I particularly like to read stories with eleven year old dialogue. It's a flaw in my writing, I know, but I don't particularly care. :) I tried to convey that they read a lot, which would widen their vocabulary and sentence structure, etc… I hope that is enough to allow you to overlook this aspect of my writing. :-)**

**And about their "relationship" status. Yeah, it's all very innocent. They're not snogging in broom cupboards at the primary school. They just have a true deep love for one another that will eventually turn into the type of love that leads them to snog in broom cupboards at Hogwarts. When they are age appropriate, of course. I basically started them out acknowledging that their feelings toward one another lean to the romantic side so they wouldn't automatically fall into the sibling type of relationship when Sirius was released and they were living together as a family. (I also know that James Potter's mom is Dorea Potter nee Black, but we are TOTALLY overlooking that. The blood relation between Harley and Harry is negligible, as it is **_**very**_** distant, but still. Ignoring. Creative license and all that).**

**What else, what else? Oh! I am not a Brit, as you've probably deduced. I've been using the interwebs to find places for the little family to visit in London. If you are from there and have better landmarks, let me know. I'll change them. I don't want their outings to be lame. **

**Okay, I'm going to try and write out each year in one chapter. Some may have to be extended over more than one, but my goal is one. As I mentioned before, this isn't going to be one of those Sirius' daughter fics where the whole story is recited chapter by chapter with the addition of the new character. I'll hit the high points, but everything else will be canon with the addition of Harley's presence. I don't dislike those types of stories, it's just not the one I'm telling. **

**I think that's it. I'll love you forever and ever if you leave me a review! It's another 2AM posting, and I tried to read through it for errors, but I'm so very tired. I hope it doesn't suck. :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: This chapter is a bit long, and only encompasses the first week of their Hogwarts experience. It was kind of necessary since there are new people to meet and whatnot. I am writing this based on memory of canon, so some situations may be off and some may be exact based off my memory (although I did copy Snape's questions to Harry from the book). I don't want to have the book in front of me when I write. I feel it will stifle any original ideas.**

**Things should pick up after this, but I'm total fail at estimating chapters. I shouldn't have even tried in the last author's note. I hope you enjoy this chapter; I had a rather enjoyable time writing the scene with Snape.**

Chapter 8:

The morning of September 1st dawned sunny and warm. Harley awoke to the familiar feeling of her body snuggled into Padfoot. He had made his way into her room every night since they'd been reunited, and she was going to miss her cuddle buddy while at Hogwarts.

The group leisurely awoke at 8AM, showering and dressing for the day ahead. Sirius shrunk Harry and Harley's trunks, stowing them safely in his pocket. Harry had sent Hedwig to Hogwarts the previous night. She didn't like staying in her cage, so Harry decided to leave it at home. Hedwig was capable of meeting him anywhere he went. There was no reason for her to be cooped up all day.

After finishing their morning routines, Remus, Sirius, Harry and Harley had Mitch drop them off at Bill's, where they enjoyed a hearty breakfast filled with lighthearted banter and many laughs. After finishing their meal, the group headed back to the car. It was time to make their way to King's Cross.

They arrived to the station around 10:30AM, giving them plenty of time to navigate their way through the terminals. When they approached Platforms Nine and Ten, the children watched Remus casually approach a wall somehwere in between before disappearing right through. After an encouraging nod from Sirius, Harry, clasping Harley's hand, began walking toward the barrier.

He felt foolish, really. He knew the barrier was just an illusion for the muggles, and he'd be able to pass straight through, but he still tensed as he walked into the wall. Or rather through it. He let out a breath of relief when he opened his eyes to see the brilliant scarlet steam engine. _The Hogwarts Express_.

The pair was nearly knocked over by Sirius as he made his way through the barrier. They'd been pulled out of the way by an amused Remus just in the nick of time. Both children smiled sheepishly at the two snickering older men. "Don't feel bad, pups. It's quite an amazing sight," Sirius said consolingly. "I wish I could see your faces the moment you see Hogwarts for the first time. It will take your breath away," he finished with a faraway look in his eyes.

Remus put an arm around Harry's shoulders, while Sirius did the same to Harley. Both seasoned Hogwarts alumni then led the children to the train. The little family decided to ignore the gaping faces of the other platform occupants. They seemed to be goggling equally between Harry and Sirius. The Boy Who Lived and the False Mass Murderer.

The quartet found an empty car toward the back of the train. Sirius removed their trunks from his pocket and enlarged them before securing them safely in the overhead compartments. "You two have enough money? You'll want to purchase candy from the Trolley."

"Yes, Dad," said Harley, smiling at her father.

"Good," he said. "Be sure to owl me tonight about the sorting. I want to know which house you're in."

"We know, Sirius. We'll send Hedwig," responded Harry.

"_Merlin_," exclaimed Sirius, dropping to his knees in front of the children and pulling them both into a hug. "I'm going to miss you, two. Please be careful."

"We will," promised Harry. It felt so nice to have a parental figure worry over him, knowing he'd be missed. Knowing he was loved.

"Honestly, Daddy. We're going to see you in three days," said Harley, trying to be brave. In reality she was just as upset as her father. In a low voice, she whispered, "How am I going to sleep without Padfoot?"

Sirius smiled and stood back up. "I'm glad you asked, pup." He then proceeded to pull a small object out of his pocket, enlarging it. It was a life size stuffed Padfoot. It didn't feel like a stuffed animal, however, it felt_ real_. The fur had the same coarseness and it was warm. Snuggling into it would feel similar to having her father with her. It wouldn't be the exact same, of course, but it would be an acceptable substitute.

Harley beamed at her father's thoughtfulness, giving him a tight hug, which Harry soon joined. Sirius then dragged Remus in forming a family group hug. Giving both Harry and Harley a kiss on their foreheads, Sirius and Remus left the children in their car.

It was a very emotional Sirius Black that was seen exiting the Hogwarts Express with his old friend Remus Lupin's arm comfortingly around his shoulders. It was silly, really. He _was_ going to be seeing them in three days, after all. But it's hard for any father to watch their children head off somewhere the parent can't follow. Even more so for a man who'd been kept away from his children for nearly a decade, only to be reunited mere weeks before they have to leave on said venture.

Sirius had fleetingly considered asking the children to be home schooled, just so he wouldn't have to part with them. In the end, he couldn't bring himself to do it. Hogwarts was an experience only a selfish bastard would deny his children. It was a wondrous place, especially for those new to the magical world. They'd make friends. They'd learn. They'd grow. They'd make memories to last them a lifetime.

He'd come to a compromise with himself with the extra lessons and weekend getaways. He'd get to see them at least three times a week. It wasn't enough, but it would have to do. It was also a bit soothing that he was so close to the school. If they needed him he was right there. Again, he knew this was a silly thought. With magical travel _anyone_ could be _right there_. It was a comfort nonetheless.

For their part, Harry and Harley were just as reticent to leave Sirius as he was to leave them. Yes, they wanted to learn magic, but they would have been fine learning from tutors at home. The only thing that stopped them from asking was the connection Hogwarts had to their lost parents. They'd be living in the same castle, learning in the same classrooms, and even in a few instances, from the same teachers. They'd both felt a tie to their fallen parents after meeting Sirius and Remus, but they wanted _more_. Hogwarts could provide that.

Harry was a bit more nervous than Harley. He'd grown up in an abusive home where he was constantly belittled. Having Harley and Mary in his life had significantly lowered the effectiveness of Vernon's verbal jibes, but nothing could lessen the pain of the slaps and kicks. So while he was completely comfortable with Harley, he still subconsciously expected to be hurt by anyone new he met.

Sirius and Remus, being his fathers' best friends were a special case. Harry went into the relationship with his godfather believing that everything would work out because of Harley. She was the man's daughter, so he would love her. How could he not? She's perfect, after all. In Harry's estimation anyway. But he'd seen the way Vernon treated _his_ child. Dudley didn't receive any of the torment reserved specifically for Harry.

So, he wasn't worried for Harley. She'd be perfectly safe with Sirius, and he knew she'd in turn keep him perfectly safe. It was a bit overwhelming when he was so fully accepted. Accepted, loved and wanted. In the end, Harley hadn't needed to provide the connection to her father that kept any abuse at bay. _He'd_ been reason enough alone. Sirius had been his father's best friend, and in turn, Sirius loved Harry like a son. It was all very overwhelming, but Harry loved it, and Sirius. Remus had quickly moved into a place of extreme fondness, as well, much like Mary.

Harley, on the other hand, simply didn't give a shit. People could love her or hate her. She didn't care. She had Harry. He, and to a lesser extent, Mary, were all she'd cared about for _so long_. Now she had her father and Remus as well. As far as she was concerned, she had an overwhelming number of people in her life. The number of people for whom she cared had doubled in the last three weeks, after all.

She just wanted to go to school, explore the castle her father raved about and learn all she could about magic. She wasn't worried about the new people like Harry was. They had each other, just like always. She knew they'd be okay.

They were each lost in their own anticipation and anxieties when the door opened to reveal a young boy with red hair. He looked to be about their age.

"Mind if I join you? Everywhere else is full?" he asked.

Both Harry and Harley shook their heads, motioning for him to take a seat.

"I'm Ron Weasley, by the way," he said, staring at their intertwined hands for a moment.

"Harry Potter."

"Harley Black."

Ron's eyes nearly bugged out of his head. "Really, I mean, is it true. Do you really have the…_the scar_?" he asked, whispering the last two words.

Harry nodded mutely. _Bloody scar_, both children thought simultaneously. Harry had always favored the scar. Well, before he found out how he really got it. Now he hated the blasted thing. It was like a beacon in the wizarding world. He'd never be able to achieve anonymity if the thing wasn't covered. Harley was going to put concealer over it before they left for the train, but Sirius recommended leaving it visible.

"_They are going to call your name when you're sorted. Everyone is going to know it's you, and that you have that scar. Don't start out your time there hiding yourself away, Prongslette. You'll be eaten alive if the Slytherins sense your apprehension. They'll take it for weakness and become ruthless. Be proud, Harry. View the scar, not as a curse, but as proof of how much your parents loved you. View it as a sign of your perseverance; your triumph over The Dark. Don't be ashamed of it."_

Sirius' words had heartened Harry and given him the courage to face the upcoming maelstrom with his head held high. He wasn't going to make an effort to hide the bloody thing, but he had no desire to flash it about, either.

Ron seemed disappointed when Harry didn't lift the fringe of his hair to reveal the legendary lightening bolt shaped scar, but he recovered quickly. They then began speaking about Hogwarts and which classes they were looking forward to.

Discussion quickly shifted to school Houses. Ron wanted to be in Gryffindor, as did Harry and Harley. All of their parents were in that house, and they wanted to carry on the tradition. For Harry and Harley it went a bit deeper than tradition. They wanted the connection to their parents. Sleep in the same dorms. Relax in the same common room, on the same couches as their long lost mums and dad.

After a few hours on the train their discussion of Chocolate Frog Cards (they'd purchased an insane amount of candy off the trolley) was interrupted by a young girl with bushy hair and slightly bucked teeth. "Has anyone seen a toad? A boy named Neville's lost one."

They all shook their heads in negation. "Do you need any help looking?" asked Harley. She had enjoyed their conversation with Ron, but she was the type of person who needed activity. She couldn't sit still for five hours without moving about a bit.

Both Harry and Harley recognized the signs of a lonely friendless child. They'd seen the nervous way the girl entered, recognizing her false bravado instantly. She'd expected to be rebuffed, but was trudging through anyway. Harley could respect that. She'd trudged through two weeks of it with Harry before he'd finally let her in. When Harley offered to help, the girl's face betrayed her shock, followed by elation. She nodded her head enthusiastically. "I'm Hermione Granger!"

"Harley Black, it's nice to meet you," Harley replied, smiling. "This is Harry Potter and Ron Weasley."

Hermione's eyes widened on Harry. "Holy cricket!" she exclaimed before being roughly shoved into the compartment, knocking into Harley.

"So it's true then," stated the blonde prat the pair had seen in Madam Malkin's the month previous. "Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts."

Harley steadied Hermione, pulling her away from the git, glaring menacingly in his direction.

They boy's eyes glanced around the room. They paused with interest at Harley before moving on to Harry, where they narrowed. "It's you, then?"

Harley was reaching her limit. The boy was clearly of the Dudley variety. "What's your problem?" asked Harley heatedly. "Didn't your parents teach you any manners? You nearly knocked Hermione to the ground."

"_Granger_, you said?" asked the boy, disdain evident in his voice. At her affirmative nod, he sneered. "Her kind isn't worthy of our good manners, Cousin. According to my parents you grew up in an orphanage, but you've had nearly a month with your father. Surely he's at least taught you that?"

"Cousin?" asked Harley aghast. The great blonde prat was her relative?

"Yes, Black. Cousin. I'm Malfoy. Draco Malfoy. My mother is Narcissa Malfoy nee Black, your father's first cousin. That makes us second cousins," Malfoy explained importantly.

"Ah," said Harley, feigning recognition. "Yes, he told me most of his blood relatives are a bunch of self-important pricks with a nauseatingly absurd superiority complex. He forgot to mention nosy busy body. You were obviously listening to our conversation earlier. I'll have to update him. He's been in prison, you know?" she said, mock sweetly.

Draco's face turned a livid shade of red. With a subtle tilt of his blonde head the two oafs flanking him lurched forward menacingly. They didn't realize that, while Harry and Harley were _much_ smaller than them, they were also much more _fit_. It also didn't hurt that Harley had shown Harry some very helpful self defense tactics she'd been taught by her orphan mentor, Melanie.

When Harry saw the two overgrown gorillas tackle toward his girl he reacted very quickly, as did she. He took the one on the left while she took the one on the right. They both used the momentum of their assailants against them, deftly side-stepping their forward motion while grabbing one of their outstretched arms to knock them off their center, tipping them forward a bit. They then lurched forward, slamming their foreheads into the brutes' noses. The loud crunches signified a job well done. The blood was a less welcome sign, but Harry and Harley would take it, glad it wasn't their own.

"Would you like to have a go, Cousin?" asked Harley mockingly. Draco's astonished face had paled, which was a feat in itself, white as he was, before he sneered and led his two bleeding friends from the compartment.

When they left Harley groaned, throwing herself onto the bench. "Why do I have to be related to people like _him_?" she asked with a whiny lilt to her voice.

Harry shrugged. "Why do I have to be related to the Dursleys? We don't get to choose our family, Harley. Look on the bright side. We have Sirius. Isn't it worth being related to that arsehat if it means you get to be related to him?"

Harley smiled. "Too right you are, Harry."

Neither child had paid much notice to Ron and Hermione during the altercation, focused as they were on each other's safety. When they turned their attention back, they saw two very different reactions. Ron looked excited and impressed while Hermione looked on the brink of hyperventilation.

"You alright, Hermione?" asked Harley, concerned. "You look a bit peaky."

"You got into a fight. Before we even made it to school. You're going to get yourselves expelled!" Her voice grew in pitch and volume by then end.

"No, no, no, Hermione," said Harry. "We didn't _get into a fight_. We were attacked. We defended ourselves."

Harley nodded her agreement. "We know his type, Hermione. If you don't stand up to him, he'll walk all over you. We don't appreciate bullying, and we won't be victims of it." _Not anymore. Not when Harry no longer has to go home and be subjected to his Uncle's displeasure if he stands up for himself against Dudley and his gang of idiots._

Harley frowned at the girl. She'd clearly resigned herself to her fate as a bully's victim. She had seen it before in others. Kids who had loving parents. Who hadn't experienced the rejection and abuse the two orphans had. They always found it much more difficult, as they weren't used to fending for themselves or being lonely. They hadn't been told they weren't worthy of friends their whole lives, or rejected at every turn by "parents" as well as the other children in the orphanage. They didn't have the thick skin built up by years of hardships like Harry and Harley had.

She imagined the girl had been teased for her hair and teeth. In her experience, children tend to attack things that make someone different from themselves. Harley thought her attributes made Hermione unique. If she had received those insults, she would simply brush them off. What is having frizzy hair compared to going to bed hungry? To knowing your best friend gets locked in a cupboard? It doesn't really compare at all.

Hermione's face hadn't lost any of the horror it had displayed since the altercation began. "But…You'll get in trouble!"

Harry and Harley laughed. They couldn't help it. Harry was also uncomfortable with confrontation with authority figures. His aunt and uncle had done a bit of a number on him. But he knew Harley had never particularly cared. The only time he didn't care is if he was in trouble for something he'd done to protect Harley. The Dursleys could do anything they wanted to him as long as Harley was safe.

"And?" asked Harley.

Hermione huffed. Harry and Harley were actually glad to see it. She should stick up for herself. "And…" she began, before getting cut off by Ron.

"Oh shove off, it was brilliant! Why don't you go look for that bloody toad? No one asked you to come in our compartment." Ron snapped.

Hermione's cheeks filled with color and she looked as though she was about to cry in a mixture of embarrassment and anger. Harry and Harley narrowed their eyes at Ron. "Don't talk to her like that, Ron," said Harry. "She's just concerned we'll be in trouble."

It was then Ron's turn to glow red. Even the tips of his ears had turned a slight pink. Hermione seemed very shocked to have someone stick up for her. Harley could see the situation turning south, so she stood, gesturing to the door. "Let's go look for that toad, shall we?"

Hermione nodded her head, "You should bring your robes, too. I expect we'll be there soon."

Nodding, Harley pulled the uniform out of the carry-on bag she and Harry had packed. The two girls left the silent compartment, leaving the boys to their own devices while Harley made a quick change in the bathroom followed by searching for the missing toad.

After the girls left, Harry sat in an uncomfortable silence with Ron. When he could no longer take it, he asked, "You alright, Ron?"

"Fine," Ron lied.

Harry sighed audibly. After thinking for a few moments, he tried again. "Hey Ron, Harley and I are pretty new to the whole wizarding world, having lived with muggles until a few weeks ago. We were fitted with our robes at the same time as Malfoy. He said something about some sport called…What was it?" Harry asked, glancing up to the ceiling as if he was in deep though. In reality, Sirius had regaled the praises of Quidditch ad nauseam for the last three weeks. Harry enjoyed talking about the sport, however, so it wasn't too much of a sacrifice to steer the conversation in that direction.

"Quidditch?" asked Ron with more enthusiasm.

"Yeah!" Harry exclaimed excitedly. "That's it! He was talking about it, but we'd never heard of it. We were completely lost and felt kind of stupid. Can you explain it to me?" Harry asked with a feigned hopeful expression.

"Absolutely, mate! Everyone should know about Quidditch! It's completely brilliant! You see, there're four balls…" And on and on he went. Harry did a good job playing the part of someone who'd never heard of the sport, oohing and aahing in all the right places.

Harley and Hermione spent some time walking around the train, looking for the toad. They ran into the owner of said toad, a slightly chubby boy with brown hair. "Neville! This is Harley Black, she's helping me look for Trevor," Hermione introduced.

He didn't seem very comfortable with Harley _at all_. In fact, he seemed rather frightened of her from the moment he heard her surname. "Harley, this is Neville Longbottom." _Longbottom._ That explained it, then. She remembered what Mr. Alberts said about his parents. _They were tortured into insanity by Bellatrix Lestrange._ Bellatrix Lestrange nee Black. Her father had told her about the crazy woman. Their cousin. God, most of her family were arseholes.

Attempting to nip the discomfort in the bud, Harley pulled Neville aside when Hermione entered the next compartment. "Hey Neville, my father told me he was really great friends with your parents. He was very upset when our lawyer told us what happened. I just want you to know that I'm really sorry; I know how it feels to grow up without your parents. So is Harry, if you ever want someone to talk to about it." He looked panicked, so she continued quickly. "I won't tell anyone, I promise. I just want you to know that my father and I are nothing like her, Neville. Please don't throw us in with her lot."

"O-Okay. Th-Thanks," he stammered, blushing madly, but seemingly less frightened.

Harley gave him a sad smile before doing her part in the search for Trevor. Unfortunately, the train was nearing the school and they'd yet to find the toad. Being forced to give up; Harley invited Hermione and Neville back to her compartment. Neville wanted to soldier on, claiming his gran would kill him if he lost the amphibian, so it was just Harley and Hermione returning to the compartment with Harry and Ron.

They had changed into their uniforms by the time the girls returned. Harry's face lit up when Harley walked in. She returned his smile and he put his arm around her when she sat down next to him. "Hermione says we'll be there soon," Harley informed.

"Brilliant!" exclaimed Harry. "I can't wait to see the school after everything Sirius told us."

"I know me too."

"How do you think we'll be sorted?" asked Ron. "Fred and George said we'd have to fight a troll, but I heard some other kids saying it would be a test."

Harry and Harley snorted, but Hermione gasped. "Oh no! Why wouldn't they tell us if we were going to have a test? I haven't prepared!"

"Relax Hermione!" Harley laughed.

"Yeah, Sirius told us there's a sorting hat. They just put it on your head and it looks through your mind to see which house best suits you," said Harry.

Both Ron and Hermione seemed to relax as this news, glad the sorting seemed to be a pretty easy process. Harry and Harley were both grateful to Sirius and Remus for telling them all about the school. They felt much more confident than they did when they met Malfoy in Diagon Alley four weeks ago.

The group chattered on for the last fifteen minutes of the trip. When they hopped off the train, Harry and Harley heard a familiar voice. "Firs' years! Firs' years this way!"

When Hagrid saw the group approach his bearded face lit up into a smile. "'Arry! 'Arley! Great to see you, two!"

"Hey Hagrid!" they chorused happily.

Hermione and Ron followed behind Harry and Harley, who were holding hands and speaking excitedly to one another. This did not go unnoticed by either Ron or Hermione. Both were curious about the state of the pair's relationship, as well as their history. Neither felt comfortable asking just yet.

"Heads up, everyone! You'll be gettin' your first view o' Hogwarts just 'round the bend!" boomed Hagrid.

Harry and Harley stopped breathing for a few moments when they saw the majestic castle for the first time. It was absolutely…magical, as ridiculous as that sounds. It seemed to have a palpable energy surrounding it, bringing it to life. All the first years felt exhilaration run through their bodies at the sight. Harley leaned into Harry's side, whispering in his ear, "It's a bit strange, isn't it? Thinking about how our parents walked this same trail and viewed this same castle when they were eleven?"

Harry smiled at his girl. "Yeah, it is. Strange and wonderful."

Harley nodded in agreement before Harry helped her into one of the boats at the shoreline. "No more than four to a boat!" Hagrid shouted.

Harry and Harley shared a boat with Hermione and Ron. They giggled as Hagrid passed them, taking up a whole boat to himself. Like the little boat they'd ridden in before, the large man nearly sunk the thing with his weight.

The boats seemed to lead them directly under the castle. Hagrid lead them through the Entrance Hall of the castle, after finding Trevor in one of the empty boats. Neville was most pleased.

A stern looking woman in green robes was waiting for the children at the top of the Entrance Hall steps. "That's McGonagall," whispered Harley to Harry.

"She doesn't look too friendly," Harry commented quietly.

"I know. Like she's got a stick shoved up her arse." Harley said, causing both children to snicker. Apparently it also caused the stick up McGonagall's arse to chafe, as she gave them a rather stern look.

She went on to tell the firsties about the differentiation of the school houses, the house cup, your house is like your family, blah blah blah. Harley was sorely tempted to ask if that meant her housemates were going to be wrongfully accused of murder and locked up without a trial. She managed to keep her comments to herself, however. Barely.

She left them alone for a few moments to see if the Headmaster was ready for them. While they were waiting a group of ghosts drifted by, complaining about something called a 'Peeves' before greeting the first years.

McGonagall returned after the ghosts drifted away. "They're ready for you," she said briskly.

Hand in hand, Harry and Harley followed the flow of students into The Great Hall. The pair immediately looked to the ceiling, excited to see the enchantment described in _Hogwarts: A History_. It was brilliant.

Many other students noticed as well, eliciting awed gasps from the group. "It's enchanted to look like the night's sky. I read about it in _Hogwarts: A History_," explained Hermione to the others.

They sorting started immediately with Abbott, Hannah, who sorted into Hufflepuff.

It wasn't long until Harley's turn.

"Black, Harley," called McGonagall.

Hushed whispers immediately filled the hall. _Wonderful_, thought Harley. Harry squeezed her hand before wishing her luck.

_Ah, another Black, I see. _

Harley startled, surprised to hear the voice inside her head.

_Interesting, very interesting. Very loyal, yes, but far too independent and strong willed for Hufflepuff. Good mind, very intelligent, but you don't have the drive to learn every fact about a subject, only seeking the pertinent information. That removes Ravenclaw, then._

_If you put me in Slytherin I will do whatever it takes to find you. When I do, I'll roast marshmallows over your pyre._

The hat chuckled.

_Your father said something similar. Yes, well, you are quite a brave one, aren't you? Yes, you are not afraid to fight for what you believe in. You will make an excellent addition to the lion's den._

_You better put Harry with me. Same threat applies._

The hat chuckled again before yelling loudly. "GRYFFINDOR!"

The Gryffindor table cheered for their new addition. Harley squeezed Harry's hand as she walked passed. "If he starts talking about putting you in Slytherin, just threaten him. Good luck," she whispered before trotting off to the Gryffindor table, saving Harry a seat.

Harley sat at the table, fidgeting. _Why can't the 'P' be higher in the alphabet? _She groused internally, barely managing to clap for both Hermione and Neville as they were sorted into Gryffindor, as well as feel grateful that Malfoy went to a different house from her own, but she was still very anxious until…_finally_.

"Potter, Harry!"

The hall went deathly silent upon his name, many students leaning forward eagerly. It made Harry feel even more uncomfortable than he had already. He approached to stool warily, hoping against hope that he'd end up with Harley. _If all else fails, threaten._

_Ah, Mr. Potter. I was wondering when I'd get to sort you. Let's see, let's see. Very interesting. Very brave, yes, but also very clever with a thirst to prove yourself. But where to put you?_

_Gryffindor._

The hat chuckled. He liked the young Mr. Potter and Miss Black.

_I thought you might say that, Mr. Potter. Don't you think you might grow better on your own, away from outside influences? Slytherin could help you, you know. You'd be great._

_If you put me in Slytherin, I'll fill you with fish, cover you in shrimp and feed you to the giant squid._

The hat actually laughed out loud for the entire hall to hear, causing many questioning whispers. Harley smirked. She knew Harry had threatened with some form of…erm…bodily?...harm.

_Read Hogwarts: A History, eh, Mr. Potter? Well, I certainly don't want to be ingested by Marty. So, if you're sure, it better be…_

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Harley was on her feet, cheering with the other Gryffindors. Two red-headed twins, whom she suspected were Fred and George, were chanting, "We got Potter! We got Potter!"

Harry quickly approached his girlfriend, who was grinning and jumping around like a loon. His own smile was threatening to split his face in two. When he reached her, he pulled her into a tight embrace, lifting her off her feet.

They were both laughing as the crowd's cheers died down and the sorting continued. Eventually Ron also made it into Gryffindor, everyone cheering for another Gryffindor Weasley.

Dumbledore made a bunch of announcements, the one about avoiding a most painful death drawing raised eyebrows from Harry and Harley.

Finally the table was filled with every kind of food the children could ever imagine. It was quite a sight for Harry and Harley, who had both spent more nights than they care to remember unable to sleep due to hunger. Grinning at each other, the pair joined the rest of the table in filling their plates and stuffing their faces, albeit with much more decorum than some of the others, names unmentioned.

During the meal the two noticed a man with greasy black hair, sallow skin and a hook nose staring at them rather menacingly. It was…disconcerting. Harry's scar even started to burn, which really freaked out Harley, even though Harry said it was fine. A boy introduced as Ron's brother, Percy, explained that the man was Professor Snape, Potions Master. Neither child was looking forward to his class, especially when Percy offhandedly mentioned that he fancied the Dark Arts.

Dumbledore dismissed the group after dinner, and all the firsties followed the prefects to their dorms. Almost everyone went straight to bed, tired after the travelling and large meal. Harry and Harley lingered in the common room, however, writing a letter to Sirius.

_Padfoot,_

_We made it to Hogwarts safely, even making some friends on the train! There was a boy named Ron Weasley and a girl named Hermione Granger. All four of us were sorted into Gryffindor! We're now in your old common room. It's brilliant!_

_We're both excited about starting lessons tomorrow, but we wish we hadn't decided to forgo coming to the house on the first day. We miss you and Uncle Mooney already. _

_Well, we're both really tired now. The feast was amazing, but now we're ready to fall into a food coma. Love you both._

_Harry and Harley_

Harry took the note with him, hoping Hedwig would be in his room. The couple then hugged their goodnights before dragging themselves to bed. Hedwig was indeed in the dorm when Harry arrived, and he tiredly tied the letter to the bird's leg before asking her to take it to Sirius.

He was asleep minutes later.

The first three days of class were absolutely brilliant. Ron and Harry were becoming fast friends while Harley and Hermione bonded over classes and shared interests. Hermione was ecstatic. She'd finally met a girl who didn't mock her for being an _ugly bookworm_. A girl who wasn't obsessed with makeup and boys, like their roommates Lavender and Parvati. Granted, she'd only known the girls a few days, and Harley already had a boyfriend, and was therefore uninterested in _other_ boys, but she still felt like she'd found someone to be a true friend.

Ron and Harry bonded over Quidditch talks and chess. Ron was a master chessman, and Harry had never played, so it wasn't much of a challenge. Harry enjoyed learning new things, though, so he didn't mind getting his arse whipped while he learned to strategize. One thing Ron didn't understand, however, was Harry's study habits and love of books.

Harry tried to explain how learning magic was important to him, as a connection to his parents, but the mollycoddled Ron didn't have the same emotional maturity or perspective of the orphaned Harry. They were still able to get along reasonably well, and Harry enjoyed having a male friend.

All of their classes were finished by 4:00 or 4:30. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, Harry and Harley would leave directly after class to spend time with Sirius, returning to the school no later than 6:00 in order to eat dinner with the other students. They were given the password to the floo in the Gryffindor common room. The fireplace was charmed so that when one placed their wand tip on the Rune in the middle of the mantel, no one would be able to hear the password or destination.

So, on Wednesday at 4:00, the kids scrambled up to the common room, eager to see Sirius and Remus. They were both enveloped in hugs the moment they stepped out of the fireplace. They'd decided not to have lessons that first week in order to get acclimated to the new routines, so they had two hours to spend chatting about their first few days.

They spent most of the time chatting about the students. Sirius and Remus learned a lot about Ron and Hermione, happy to see the children having other friends. As they grew up they'd need others to confide in, especially those of their same sex. Ron and Hermione seemed to perfectly fit that bill. They also mentioned the confrontation with Malfoy, leaving out the physical altercation. Sirius warned them to be cautious of Malofy, as their family was notoriously malicious.

"Alright, enough about your friends who are way cooler than two old Marauders, tell – "

"No one is cooler than two old Marauders!" Harley and Harry said in unison, laughing. "You two will always be the coolest," finished Harley, with Harry nodding his agreement.

Sirius and Remus chuckled. "Well, I'm glad to hear it. I already knew it, actually, I just wanted to hear you say it," Sirius said, puffing out his chest importantly, causing both kids to giggle.

Grinning roguishly, he continued. "Tell us about your teachers."

"Well, there's Professor McGonagall for Transfigurations," Harley said.

"Minnie!" squealed Sirius.

Both Harry and Harley looked at Sirius like he was completely off his rocker. "Minnie?" asked Harry.

Sirius nodded his head maniacally, causing Remus to bust out laughing. "Sirius and James used to drive her crazy. '_Black, Potter! Do not call me Minnie!'" _Remus said in an uncanny imitation of their Transfiguration teacher.

"No wonder she has that stick shoved so far up her arse, then. You've completely ruined it for the rest of us, Dad," Harley said with a mock glare.

"What do you mean, pup?" asked Sirius, irritated.

"The woman's a Scottish nightmare, honestly," Harry contributed. "There's not an ounce of warmth in her at all. She's shrill and horrid; we can't stand her."

This sobered the two men immediately, and Sirius stood. "You will not speak of her that way, do you understand? Minerva McGonagall fought by our side during the war. She's a brilliant Professor, and you're lucky to be learning from her. I don't want to hear of you showing her anything but the utmost respect," he demanded vehemently. McGonagall had been a very close friend to Lily and James before they died. All of them, really. He hated the idea of his children being rude to the woman, or even speaking ill of her. "I asked if you understand." he said heatedly.

Neither child had ever heard Sirius speak so, well, seriously, nor had he ever spoken so harshly to them. "Yes, sir," they both intoned impassively, schooling their features into emotionless masks. _Guess we won't be coming to Sirius with issues about teachers, then, _thought both children simultaneously. Harry had wanted to ask about Professor Snape, but he dare not bring anything up now.

A tense silence followed the exchange. Remus cleared his throat, uncomfortable. "What about your other teachers?" he asked.

"We've had Professor Sprout, Herbology," Harley began evenly, taking turns with Harry.

"Professor Binns, History of Magic."

"Professor Quirrell, Defense."

"Professor Flitwick, Charms. That's all we've had so far. We add Astronomy tonight and Potions on Friday. Don't know about those professors, yet," finished Harry.

"Well what do you think of them?" Remus prompted.

"They're great," said Harley unenthusiastically.

"Brilliant," lied Harry. Sprout and Flitwick were pretty good, but Binns and Quirrell were shit.

"Oh?" asked Remus. "Even Binns?"

Both children nodded their heads, agreeing wordlessly. Remus sighed sadly. This was not going well. Binns was the worst. A ghost for a Professor? Honestly. Sirius still wasn't speaking.

Harley was dreading his next communication, cursing herself for becoming emotionally attached to her father. She had thought she was safe from his rejection, felt it in her heart, but she was clearly an idiot. Hoping to avoid the rejection for as long as possible, Harley stood, Harry hastily mimicking her action.

"Well, I'm starving," she lied. "Better get back to the castle. Harry?"

"Yes," he agreed readily.

They quickly moved to the fireplace, leaving together in a green flash. The common room was empty when the tumbled out. Everyone was either outside enjoying the nice weather or already in the Great Hall. Harry immediately pulled Harley into his arms. She was sobbing before she'd even laid her head on his shoulder. He led her to the couch where he pulled her down with him.

"It's okay, Harley. We'll always have each other, no matter what." Harry, too, was convinced Sirius would send them away. He'd obviously been very upset with them, simply because they didn't like their teacher, and he'd never seen his uncle speak that way to his cousin.

"She's not even a likable person, Harry, and he's just going to throw us away for her," Harley managed between her tears.

"I know," whispered Harry through his own tears. "I'm sorry."

"I just can't believe I let myself love him. I shouldn't have, and now I won't be able to stop. But he'll be gone," she hiccupped.

"We'll get through it together, Harley. We always do," he said sincerely. "At least we'll be able to stay at Hogwarts. I've got enough gold to pay for our tuition ten times over, and we can find somewhere else to stay during the summers."

She nodded her head. He was right. They'd get through it together, just like always, and they'd still be able to study at Hogwarts. Harry had plenty of gold to support them many years into the future. They would be okay.

Neither felt like eating dinner, so they just held each other in the common room, staring into the fire, until the students started to crowd the room. Emotionally exhausted, the two pre-teens trudged to the Astronomy Tower for their lesson that night.

When Harley arrived in her room she saw her father's owl perched on her bed, letter firmly attached to his leg. She called the bird to her arm and fairly shoved him into the night, letter still attached, before closing the window. Maybe if she just ignored it, it would go away.

oOoOoOo

Sirius watched his children vanish in the green flames. What had he done? He'd practically shouted at them, just because they didn't care for Minnie's personality. He'd just reacted. On one of their missions Minerva had saved Lily's life, after all. Without Minnie there wouldn't _be_ a Harry. He'd always had a short fuse, and most people knew that about him. They knew that in situations such as these, he was quick to anger but then quick to forget. His kids didn't know, though, and they'd not had the best history with the adults in their lives.

"Sirius?" Remus prodded cautiously.

"I know, Remus."

"I'm not sure you do."

"I _know_, Remus," he reiterated testily.

"You know those kids are probably in tears, waiting for your owl telling them they'll be sent back to the orphanage and Dursleys?"

"I said I know, damn it!" yelled Sirius before he stormed to the fire place. "Gryffindor Tower," he stated, throwing the floo powder into the green flames. Nothing.

"Sirius, it will only allow the number of people into the tower that left it. You can't get back through. Why don't you just send them an owl?"

_Harry and Harley,_

_I'm terribly sorry for getting upset with you this evening. I guess I'm just a bit protective over Minerva because of the war. I will explain my reaction on Friday when you get home. Please know that no matter what, I love you both. More than anything in this whole world. Nothing could ever change that._

_All my Love,_

_Padfoot_

Sirius warily attached the letter to Zeus' leg. "Take this to Harley," he said before releasing the bird. The next morning he felt his heart break into a million pieces when he saw that Zeus returned, letter still attached.

oOoOoOo

Harry and Harley skipped breakfast the next morning. Their last class didn't start until after lunch because of their midnight astronomy lesson. Both had awoken with very low spirits just before lunch. They both responded with "Nothing, I'm fine," when Ron and Hermione asked what was wrong.

They were pushing their lunch around their plates when Zeus arrived at their table. Harley had told Harry how she sent him away last night and they both decided to simply ignore the problem until Sirius got sick of the whole situation and came there in person.

"We don't want your letter, Zeus, and we're not taking it. Go on, go away," Harley hissed, shooing him away with her arms. The owl hooted indignantly before flying off.

Afternoon lessons were a blur for the couple, as neither could really concentrate. After dinner they sat out by the Black Lake in silence, dreading the inevitable.

oOoOoOo

Sirius sat in his living room sadly, staring at the letter attached to his owl. "They'll be here tomorrow, Sirius," soothed Remus. "You can get this cleared up then."

"And if they don't show up?"

"We'll go to the castle and find them."

Sirius nodded grimly, retiring to his bedroom. He would need another dreamless sleep potion that night.

oOoOoOo

Harry and Harley forced some toast down their throats the next morning. Their friends were starting to worry, and they didn't want to expain why a few days without food weren't really a big deal to them.

Zeus didn't show up that morning and they didn't know quite whether to be relieved or worried. They figured Sirius had planned to break the news when they came over that afternoon. Yeah, like they were going to do that.

They had Double Defense in the morning followed by Double Potions in the afternoon. Defense was a waste. They could hardly follow what Quirrell was saying through all his stuttering. Lunch was another somber affair, and neither Harry nor Harley were looking forward to Potions.

They followed the rest of the firsties to the dungeons. The glare of the potion's master was immediate the moment he walked through the door. When he called Harry's name in the roll he stopped…"Ah, yes, Harry Potter. Our new – _celebrity_." The malice injected into that one word was displayed for the entire class to see, and the Slytherins snickered at Harry's expense.

He then went on to pontificate about the "subtle art of potion making," nearly causing Harley's eyes to roll to the ceiling. Brew glory? Please.

Suddenly the man stopped, shouting, "Potter! What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel with to an infusion of wormwood?"

"Draught of Living Death, sir," replied Harry, happy he and Harley had read so far ahead.

The man's face twisted with loathing when Harry answered correctly, causing Harley's eyebrow to quirk. Shouldn't he be _happy_ his student knew the answer to his own bloody question?

"Black! Where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?" he barked.

"After your stores? The stomach of a goat, sir," Harley responded.

The man's face twisted even more angrily. Perhaps he _doesn't_ want his students to learn anything.

"What is the difference, Potter, between monskhood and wolfsbane?"

Harley saw Hermione with her hand waving in the air, practically standing on her stool in order to have the opportunity to answer the question. Harley nearly smiled fondly at the girl. Nearly. She was currently too emotionally drained from the situation with her father and this great greasy bat harassing her and Harry for answering questions _correctly_.

Harry ignored Hermione's arm waving, scrunching up his brow in confusion. "They're the same plant, sir. Also known as aconite."

Snape spun around angrily, glaring at Harry, Harley and Hermione in turn. "Well, why aren't you all writing this down?" he boomed. "And you two, one point each for your cheek."

_How the hell is providing the correct answer to a question the Professor asked cheeky? _They both thought.

Eventually he started explaining about a simple boil cure, before telling the students to follow the instructions on the board. He'd been snide and downright hateful toward Harry and Harley the entire class period.

"How are we handling him?" asked Harry.

"I say we just ignore his existence. Don't spare him a second glance. Listen and take notes, follow the instructions for the potions, but never speak to him, even when asked a direct question. It obviously angers him when we get them right, anyway. What's the point of answering at all?"

Harry smirked. "Good plan. If we're going to lose points anyway, we might was well earn it," he praised, causing Harley to crack her first genuine smile since the previous Wednesday.

They were nearing the end of their brewing when Neville melted Seamus' cauldron, sending whatever concoction he'd made (most decidedly _not_ a boil cure) all over his person.

"Idiot boy!" Snape snarled. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?" Neville's pained whimper was the only reply.

"Take him to the hospital wing!" he spat at Seamus.

"You! Potter! Black! Why didn't you tell him not to add the quills?" he asked.

Both children were mentally cursing the man. How on earth were they supposed to monitor another person while they were brewing their first ever potion themselves? Outwardly they showed no signs as having even heard him.

"I'm speaking to you Mr. Potter! Miss Black!"

Nothing. Snape was practically incandescent with rage.

"You will answer me when I speak to you!" he screamed, spittle flying from his mouth, landing in their cauldron. Turns out the boil cure doesn't call for human oral secretions, and the brew promptly turned a sickly shade of puce.

Without acknowledging the grown man looming over her, Harley turned to Hermione. Speaking clearly she said, "Hey Hermione, do you know of anything that will counteract the spittle of a grown human male? Our potion seems to have been contaminated somehow."

Harry had a very difficult time holding in his laughter. He seemed to be the only one. Everyone else seemed positively terrified.

"Miss Black!" Snape bellowed menacingly.

"Nothing?" she asked the gaping Hermione. "Oh, well. It was worth a shot." The duo then emptied their cauldron into the sink, and proceeded to scrub it clean. Snape screamed at them some more, continuing to make a fool of himself in front of his class. Honestly, a grown man screeching at a couple of eleven-year-olds? It's embarrassing.

They could hear the man literally growling with rage, and desperately wanted to see if he was actually frothing at the mouth. They refrained. He didn't exist, after all.

After their cauldron was clean they replaced it on the shelf before turning their backs on him as they heading for the door. It slammed closed in front of them, the locking clicking shut. "Fifty points from Gryffindor and you will accompany me to the Headmaster's office!"

The rest of the students were staring at the pair in shock, some of them awe. Glancing at each other quickly, the pair moved to the side of the door, leaning against the wall. The door swung back open. "Everyone else out! Now!"

Snape followed the last student out of the room, his cape billowing in his wake. "Follow me!" he ordered.

The two first years followed the Professor. They mutually decided to up the ante a bit. It's not like they'd have anyone to answer to, anyway. "So, what did you think of the first week?" asked Harry.

"Oh, pretty good. I really like Charms. Professor Flitwick is brilliant."

"Oh me, too. I think he's my favorite Professor so far. Charms is a fun class, too."

"Definitely. I can't wait until our first flying lesson. Do you think we'll be any good?"

"Dunno. We'll just have to try our best."

The two continued to chatter _incessantly_ the entire journey. They could see the man in front of them growing more livid by the second, and they struggled to hide their amusement. They'd refused to speak in class and now they refused to shut up. It was a beautiful thing. Finally they arrived at a statue of a gargoyle.

"Licorice Wands," Snape said through gritted teeth.

The gargoyle moved out of the way revealing a spiral staircase. The pair followed their irate professor up the stairs and into the Headmaster's office.

The old man quirked an eyebrow when he saw the group enter. "What can I do for you, Severus? Is everything alright with Mr. Potter and Miss Black?"

"No!" he said vehemently. "These two arrogant little children blatantly disrespected me in front of my entire class!"

_Wow, hello pot, meet kettle._

"Is this true?" asked the Headmaster.

Both children shrugged, not making eye contact. They didn't particularly trust the Headmaster, and weren't about to get into a discussion with him about their arse of a Professor. What if he reacted like Sirius?

"Do you see what I'm talking about, Albus? At least you got a shrug. They completely ignored me!" Harley rolled her eyes. She couldn't help it. The man was behaving like a petulant child. She almost expected him to start stomping his feet at any moment. Unfortunately, the gesture didn't go unnoticed by Dumbledore.

The Headmaster incorrectly assumed this behavior toward Severus was encouraged by Sirius. Their feud was legendary at Hogwarts during their years at the school. He would have to get Sirius in here and put a stop to this nonsense.

"I'll need to call Sirius," Dumbledore announced.

Both children fidgeted uncomfortably. They didn't want to be rejected by him in front of these people, especially Snape. Harry reached out to Harley, taking her hand in his. She understood his message. Together. They'd get through it together. Snape didn't matter. Dumbledore didn't matter. They had each other. That's what mattered.

Snape, having made the same assumption as Dumbledore, let a satisfied grin spread across his face. It was about time Black got put into his place. His hatred was so complete that he didn't even consider the twelve year prison sentence to meet this requirement. He'd always want Sirius to suffer more.

A few moments after Dumbledore pulled his head from the green fire, Sirius Black emerged. "What's the problem, Albus? Are the kids okay?" he asked frantically. Dumbledore had simply said he needed to speak with Sirius about the children, and he'd assumed the worst.

Harry and Harley were surprised by the worry evident in Sirius' tone. It almost sounded like he cared.

Albus nodded. "They're fine, Sirius," he said, pointing to the children. Sirius hadn't noticed anyone else in the room, and he immediately turned from Albus to approach his kids.

His heart ached when they refused to look at him, dejection clear on their faces. Not wanting Albus to hear their conversation, Sirius cast a silencing charm around him and the children, kneeling before them.

"Harley, Harry, please look at me," he begged brokenly.

The sadness in Sirius' voice confused the children, and they looked at the man. He looked nearly as haggard as he had when they'd first met him in the courtroom. Their eyes widened in shock.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you. I didn't mean to. I sometimes have a short fuse, and let my temper run away with me. I promise to explain why I reacted so strongly when we return home."

"Home?" asked Harry and Harley simultaneously.

Sirius felt shame flow through his veins. They really thought he was casting them away. "Yes, home. We're a family. We'll have arguments. That doesn't mean we don't love each other. You two are the most important things in the world to me. That won't _ever_ change. Not for anyone or anything. There will never be a moment when I don't love you both with my whole heart."

"Promise?" Harley asked, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Sirius gently cupped her face, wiping her tears. "Yes, baby girl. I promise."

Sirius pulled the children into a hug, burying his face in his daughter's neck while they did the same to him. They held each other for many long moments until Sirius felt someone cancel the silencing charm. He assumed it was Albus until he heard a most hated voice. "Well, isn't this touching?" sneered Snape.

Sirius leapt to his feet, pushing his children behind him. "Snivellus?" he hissed. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Snape, shaking with rage, began reaching for his wand. Dumbledore placed a firm hand on his arm, staying his movement. "There will be none of that, Sirius. You will show my Professor the proper respect."

"I am showing a Death Eater the proper respect, Albus! You allowed me to be sent to Azkaban without a trial but you're letting a marked Death Eater teach children?" Sirius shouted, pulling up his left sleeve to reveal unmarred skin. "Care you pull up your sleeve, Snivellus?"

"That is enough, Sirius!" bellowed Dumbledore as Snape reached for his wand again. He stopped dead, his hand still reaching inside his robes, when Harry snarled, "Death Eater? You had me in class with a Death Eater? He could have played a part in the murder of my Mum and Dad!"

The sudden stillness and flash of emotion passing through Snape's eyes was missed by no one. "You had something to do with Lily and James' murder, Snivellus?" Sirius asked deathly calm.

The situation was well out of hand, so with a sweep of the Headmaster's wand the entire room was disarmed, their wands clutched in the old man's hand. "I said enough! Severus is no more a Death Eater than I am, Sirius. He was a spy for the Order and I won't have you disrespecting him this way."

Sirius was torn. He really wanted his children to experience the wonders of Hogwarts, but he didn't want them to be anywhere near Severus Snape.

"I'll not have them in his classroom. I'll hire them a private tutor at my own cost. I'm sure Slughorn would be willing to spend three hours a week with Lily Potter nee Evans' son. The children will be staying with me this weekend. Come on, you two."

Harley stepped in the fire first, "Padfoot's Playhouse," she said before being whisked away by the green flames. Harry and her father following quickly behind.

**A/N:**

**First let me thank my lovely reviewers.**

**Shrka07, Arianightshade, N. Flamel (sorry about stuffing your name up last chapter), LightningStar 0.o, Kami no Kage, Naginator, Angel JJK, Trogo, Devilen and jafr86**

**You all keep me inspired, and I can't think you enough! Virtual cookies for you!**

**Now, as you may have noticed, I changed my name. Hope that doesn't trip anyone up. I've started a love affair with Sirius Black, and I felt compelled to change my name.**

**Now, as for this chapter…I hope everyone liked it. We got to meet some other HP characters and had a bit of drama between Sirius and the kids. I felt like this needed to happen. No family can be peachy keen all the time, and Harry and Harley need to understand that a family can fight but still love each other. That Sirius may be disappointed with them sometimes, but he'll never reject them. I feel like with their background they'd automatically assume the worst when Sirius raised his voice to them, assuming they were on their own again and start making plans. The beginning of the next chapter will include a discussion of this issue and the reconciliation after the hurt feelings. Then we'll start progressing forward.**

**I hope you liked that little bit about Snape. I had the idea for the spittle in the cauldron, but hadn't planned on using it just yet. Because I wanted to use Sirius' defense of them against Snape as a catalyst for their reunion, Sirius had to get into an argument with Snape. This led to Sirius pulling them from his class. I liked the way the confrontation went down, so I went back and added the extra antagonizing of Snape into that first lesson. I hope you all enjoyed it.**

**You know you want to leave me a review. It's month end close today, so I'll only have that unpleasantness to look forward to if you don't drop me a note. :P Thanks for reading!**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine:

The newly reconciled family shared an emotional embrace when they stepped out of the fireplace at Sirius' house. Mooney watched them apprehensively.

"Alright, let's talk about what happened with Snivellus first," said Sirius.

"Snape?" asked Remus.

"Yes," Sirius growled. "He's the Potions professor. I told Albus I would find them a tutor. No way in Hell am I letting that evil prick interact with my children."

"Dumbledore left you to rot in prison while he employed a known Death Eater? To teach _children_?" Remus asked angrily.

"My thoughts exactly, Mooney," Sirius spat. "When Harry commented that he had been in a classroom with someone who could have been involved in his parents' murder, Snape visibly paled. I swear to Merlin, if that greasy haired bastard had anything to do with what happened…" he trailed off, pacing.

"Did something happen in your class with him today?" Remus asked the children tentatively.

"Will you be upset with us if we were less than courteous to him?" asked Harley quietly. She didn't want them to get upset again. They obviously didn't care for the man, but she didn't want to take any chances.

"Pup, I'd be upset if you _were_ courteous to the bastard," Sirius answered cheekily. "So what happened. Was he treating you unfairly?"

Both men were intrigued by the children's smirks. "Well yes," said Harry. "He was belligerent and unprofessional from the moment we walked through the door. He mocked me, saying I was Hogwart's newest _celebrity_. Then he started asking us a bunch of questions. One question was about the difference between wolfsbane and monkswood. I wouldn't have gotten it if it weren't for you, Mooney. Harley and I were inspired to look up the potion when you told us about it." Sirius and Remus had explained Remus' lycanthropy to the two children. They were told that with the Wolfsbane potion Sirius was going to procure, Remus would be able to keep his mind during the transformation.

"But…that's not even a first year question!" Remus exclaimed.

"We know," said Harley. "He was _most_ displeased that we were able to answer. He even took a point from each of us, _for your cheek._ After that treatment we decided to simply ignore him," she smirked. "Let me tell you, he _did not_ like that. It seemed to enrage him to the point of near stroke."

Harry started laughing. "You should have seen his face! He was looming over us, screaming like a mad man, spittle flying from his mouth. Some of it landed in our boil cure potion. It started bubbling and turned and alarming shade of puce. Harley looked to Hermione, and deadpanned, 'Hey Hermione, do you know of anything that will counteract the spittle of a grown human male? Our potion seems to have been contaminated somehow.' When Hermione didn't answer she adopted a look of mock regret and said, 'Nothing? Oh, well. It was worth a shot.' It was bloody brilliant; I thought Snape's head was going to explode!"

Both Remus and Sirius were laughing along with the children. They'd always disliked Snape, even in school. Remus regretted being so awful to him, though. He sometimes wondered if their torment drove him to Voldemort. He didn't much care after hearing he may have had something to do with James and Lily's murders. Sirius had always loathed the man outright. The only regret he had was nearly causing Remus' worst nightmare to become a reality when he tricked Snape into following them down to the Willow on a full moon. So, needless to say, he was enjoying his children's story.

Harley was laughing as well as she finished the tale. "Since it seemed to make him so angry that we refused to acknowledge his existence, we decided to chatter inanely the entire way to the Headmaster's office. He was in a right state by the time we arrived."

"Do you hear that Mooney? The second generation Marauders are living up to their legacy!" stated Sirius proudly.

Remus smiled at Sirius before turning the conversation back to more serious matters. "I must say that was a brilliant way to handle Severus. I would caution you to steer clear of him in the future, and continue to ignore him if you are forced into his presence. He could be dangerous at worst and at best he could make things very difficult for you."

Both children nodded, but Sirius looked pensive. "I think I will contact Alberts about this. Perhaps we can legally demand that Severus refrain from interacting with them, leaving all punishments he may deem necessary to their head of house."

"Hmm…I don't know how that would work. He's a professor in the school they attend. Perhaps we could send a warning that charges will be filed for any harassment. Harry is the last scion of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter. He will be a Lord one day. Harley is the daughter of Lord Black of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black. I know you don't care for all the politics, Sirius, but you can use them to your advantage."

Sirius grumbled for a few moments before relenting. The other side used politics to advance their agenda. He would have to do the same. He'd do anything to protect his children.

"Alright. I'll contact Alberts about the warning. Now we need to discuss what happened the last few days. Why didn't you accept my owl?" Sirius asked, clearly pained.

Both Harry and Harley had been watching Sirius and Remus work out a solution to keep them safe from Snape. They were both very confused, yet hopeful. They didn't really understand how Sirius could yell at them and take McGonagall's side over theirs, and then turn around and try and protect them from Snape. Harley looked to her feet as she replied to her father. "Well, I…um….I thought you were going to tell us that you didn't want us anymore. I didn't want to read that so I just told Zeus I wouldn't take his letters."

Harry had Harley's hand in a vice like grip. He knew this was difficult for her, but it was difficult for him as well. Sirius and Remus were the only real links he had to his parents. He didn't want to lose that any more than he wanted Harley to lose her father.

"Will you please read my letter?" asked Sirius, moving the unopened letter into his daughter's line of sight.

She took it from him with shaking hands. She and Harry read the letter together, feeling both relieved and guilty at the same time. "I'm sorry, Daddy," said Harley.

"Me too, Sirius," chimed Harry. "We should have read it, but we were scared. We didn't want to be sent away." Neither child liked to admit such a weakness, but Sirius had been very open with his feelings since he stepped through the fireplace in Dumbledore's office. He hadn't tried to be stoic. They both felt they owed it to him to do the same.

Sirius again knelt before his children, taking one of their hands in his. "I understand. However, I need _you_ to understand that we are a family, and that won't change. There will be times when I'll have to discipline you. There will be times when we'll disagree. There will be times when I'll be unhappy with you. There will _never_ be a time when I won't _need_ the both of you in my life, when I don't love you. Communication is very important in a family. Promise me you'll never shut me out again and I'll promise you you'll never open a letter sending you away. Deal?"

Both children looked to Sirius with a smile. "Deal," they intoned simultaneously.

"Wonderful. Now, about Minerva. She's a very stern woman, and I can see how that would adversely affect two children who've never put much store by authority figures. The reason I feel so protective over her is because of the war. Harry, she was on a mission with your mum before she became pregnant with you. She saved Lily's life. Truthfully we all saved each other's lives many times over during the war. It's given us a certain bond." Sirius said.

Harley was thinking that the bond obviously wasn't strong enough for McGonagall or anyone else to object to her father's unlawful imprisonment, but she couldn't say that in front of Remus. He already felt terribly guilty about the whole thing. Harry was also torn. He also thought it was unfair that Sirius defended McGonagall when she didn't stand up for him, but it went deeper. It had been McGonagall's name signed at the bottom of his Hogwarts letter. The letter addressed to the Cupboard Under the Stairs. He hardly thought his mum would thank the woman for allowing her child to suffer that fate.

Both children just nodded, silently agreeing to never speak their true feelings about one Minerva McGonagall in front of Sirius.

Sirius eyed them warily. They obviously weren't swayed. They'd just have to agree to disagree at this point. "I say we floo back to the London apartment and spend some time at Namco and maybe Alton this weekend. Have some fun and put all this behind us? What do you say?" asked Sirius.

"Yes!" Harry exclaimed.

"Excellent!" Harley shouted, jumping up from the couch.

"I'm in!" Remus said just as excited.

Sirius stood, pulling his children into another embrace. "Just give me a few minutes to send off some letters. I'll be ready shortly." Sirius then left for the study where he penned a letter to Mr. Alberts and one Horace Slughorn.

The group stayed at the London apartment Friday night. Not one of them had gotten any truly peaceful sleep since the incident Wednesday night, and all were exhausted. They decided to buy some pizza ingredients and make homemade pizzas for dinner. Afterward they watched movies and ate popcorn, just enjoying each other's company. They all retired to their rooms relatively early, and Harley felt contentment surge through her veins when she woke up snuggled into Padfoot. She still had her father. He still loved her.

They spent nearly their entire Saturday at Alton, riding all the rides and playing all the games. Sunday was spent at Namco doing the same. They returned to Hogsmeade feeling much closer. They'd gotten through their first bump as a family, and laid the groundwork for less traumatic disagreements in the future.

Sirius had received an owl Saturday evening from Slughorn agreeing to teach the children potions. He was very excited to meet Harry, and most pleased by the offer. Mr. Alberts had also sent confirmation of the notices to both Dumbledore and Snape that harassment of the children would be dealt with by the Ministry, completely bypassing the school's administration. Oh how Sirius wished he could transform into a fly so he could perch himself on the wall when the two read their notices. It would be a sight to see, of that he was sure.

Sirius and Remus walked the kids back to the castle early Sunday evening. They couldn't floo directly back to Gryffindor Tower since they didn't leave from there, and neither child wanted to re-enter directly into Dumbledore's office.

The quartet hugged their goodbyes before the children trotted off to Gryffindor Tower. They were immediately pounced upon by an overly emotional Hermione Granger as soon as they stepped through the portrait.

"Oh! I've been so worried! I thought you'd been expelled!" she nearly screeched.

Harley hugged her friend, laughing. "No, Hermione. I told you we were spending every other weekend with my dad. We left straight from Dumbledore's office. I should have owled you after what happened in Snape's class. I'm sorry about that."

Hermione had let go of Harley and pulled Harry into a hug during the middle of Harley's response. Both children had a bit of a soft spot for the bushy haired witch. Sure, she was a little manic about her studies, but both understood why. She was a muggleborn, and wanted to show that she deserved her place in Hogwarts. She had a _need_ to prove herself worthy.

Harry felt this keenly as well. His parents had been brilliant students during their time. Head Boy and Head Girl. Harry was desperate to make them proud. To live up to their legacy. To hell with The Boy Who Lived nonsense, he just wanted to follow in his parents' footsteps.

Harley also felt this to a lesser degree. Her parents were no slouches in school, but she was mostly concerned about Harry's safety. Everyone kept talking about how people wanted to hurt him and how he needed to be protected. By God, she would learn every little bit of magic she could to do just that. In her opinion, slacking at school and failure to take advantage of learning every type of new magic was a betrayal to her best friend. She would soak up every bit of information she could. Those damn Death Eaters would get to Harry over her dead body.

Their ambition seemed to bother Ron, who was standing awkwardly by Hermione as she hugged the pair in turn. "Bloody hell, mate," he said. "I'm glad Snape didn't murder you two." Harley was unsure about her feelings toward the redhead. For the most part he seemed okay, but sometimes she saw a petty jealous boy leaking through his demeanor, and she didn't like it.

Harry just grinned. "Nah, we're actually not taking his class anymore. Sirius hired us a tutor."

"Oh that's great for you," said Hermione enthusiastically while Ron seemed to grumble incoherently. "He was just so awful! I've never seen a teacher treat students that way. It was so unprofessional!"

Hermione seemed completely dumbfounded, as if an adult being an asshole to a child was completely out of the realm of possibility. "Meh, we're pretty much used to adults treating us poorly, although Snape definitely takes the cake. I think he was even worse than Mrs. Phillips, eh Harry?"

Harry laughed. "Definitely, even if she did go spare when you refused to use the word present while reading The Christmas Story." Harley joined his laughter. She did get rather miffed.

They explained the story to their friends, and Hermione seemed to become more and more disillusioned as the stories went on. "It's been my experience that adults are helpful. I was bullied in my school, and the only people to help me would be the teachers."

"Your parents are dentists, Hermione," explained Harry. "They make a decent living, I'm sure. And they care about you. Your teachers wouldn't want to answer to two angry doctors if they allowed something to happen to their child. We didn't have parents. We only had each other and our friend Mary, who could only do so much. Most adults couldn't care less about what happened to us."

Hermione seemed to mull over what her friends were telling her. It went against everything she'd ever experienced, but logically she could see their point. They hadn't had adults in their lives willing to stand up for them, and were treated poorly by most people. Also, the display by Professor Snape was jarring. It shook the foundations of her blind faith in authority figures. Honestly, at one point she thought the man was going to actually hit Harley.

Harley could sense Hermione's confliction. "Look, Hermione. All we're saying is that you shouldn't follow someone blindly just because they're in a position of authority. You should question, use your own observations of a person's actions to judge them, not some title. I mean, just look at my dad. The Director of the DMLE sent my father to prison without so much as an interrogation. He completely abused his position and an innocent man was sent to Azkaban for twelve years. Two children were left without their parent or guardian. We're not saying that all adults are untrustworthy, we're just saying that they should have to _earn_ your trust before you give it to them."

Harry nodded his agreement. "We've learned to be cautious, but Mary proved beyond any doubt that there are truly good people in this world. We may be wary of people at first, but we try to give people a chance."

Hermione was blushing. "I feel foolish, really. I've always prided myself on being highly logical, but blind faith is rather illogical."

"Don't feel foolish, Hermione. Feel lucky that you haven't had to learn that lesson the way we did," Harley said solemnly. Hermione gave her a grateful smile in return.

Ron had listened to their conversation feeling very uncomfortable. He didn't really get what Harry and Hermione were talking about. "Hey, Harry, wanna play some chess?"

"Can't, mate. Harley and I didn't get to work on any homework this weekend, so we need to catch up on our assignments before tomorrow," Harry replied.

"But we've hardly been assigned any homework!" Ron exclaimed.

"We've gotten a Transfiguration essay due tomorrow, Ron, and I want to go over the material for tomorrow's classes."

"Why?"

"Because I want to do well. It's important to me."

"Fine," Ron responded petulantly before challenging Dean to a game. Harry rolled his eyes and joined Harley and Hermione, who'd already set up their books at a free table.

Harry and Harley started their lessons with Katherine the next afternoon. The woman had gone to speak to Mary, so she knew Harley's routines and the approach she needed to take with the younger girl. Both Sirius and Remus joined the two children during the workout portion. The exercise would help Sirius recover, and any physical conditioning would be useful if war were to rise up in the world again. The three males then sat and watched Harley's lesson. Remus had never seen her dance, and was astonished by her talent.

"Amazing, it's she Mooney?" asked Sirius. Remus nodded his agreement. It wasn't just the technique, which was superb. It was the emotion she put into her movement. He now understood Sirius' determination in finding a suitable instructor. This outlet was important for the girl as it helped her express herself.

Harley had been nervous about learning from someone besides Mary, but Katherine made her feel very comfortable. She seemed to understand Harley's approach to dance, which was a huge relief. If someone had come in and tried to change everything around, Harley would not have been pleased.

As the children were preparing to floo back to the castle Sirius asked, "What did you think, pup?"

"No one can ever replace Mary, of course, but I like Katherine. She seems to know what she's talking about and I like her teaching style," Harley replied smiling. "Thanks for finding her, Daddy."

Sirius smiled and hugged his daughter. "I'd do anything for you, love."

The pair made their way back to the common room and off to dinner. When they returned they saw a notice about their first flying lesson that Thursday. Harry and Harley were ecstatic. They'd been very excited to start flying. Sirius had even promised to buy them each a broom so they could fly together after their first lesson.

Thursday arrived quickly. Unfortunately the Gryffindors were paired with the Slytherins for this lesson. Honestly, who makes up these schedules? How could they think that grouping the two houses with the most vicious rivalry would be a good idea?

Both children were cursing this, as they didn't like the idea of being in this lesson with Malfoy. They boy had droned on ad nauseam about his flying skills while neither of them had ever even mounted a broom before. They didn't relish the idea of making a fool of themselves in front of the vile cretin.

They needn't have worried. Madame Hooch, their flying instructor, corrected Malfoy's grip, telling him he'd been doing it wrong for years. Unfortunately, Neville had some issues with his broom and it took off like it was possessed. He ended up falling and breaking his wrist.

When Madame Hooch left to take the boy to the hospital wing Malfoy picked up the Remembrall Neville's Gran had sent him. Despite Hooch's threats of expulsion, Malfoy flew into the air to hide the item in a tree. Harry had followed, defending Neville. Harry taunted a nervous Malfoy, who was a lot less brave without his goons. He ended up throwing the small orb, sending Harry speeding after it. Harry managed to catch it just before it crashed into the ground, pulling the broom back up to keep _himself_ from crashing as well.

All was well until the kids realized McGonagall was approaching. "HARRY POTTER!" she screeched. "_Never_ – in all my time at Hogwarts – how _dare_ you – might have broken your neck – "

Malfoy smirked triumphantly as McGonagall silenced Parvati and Ron's attempts to explain the situation. _Typical, never willing to listen to the voice of children,_ both Harry and Harley thought bitterly. They both worried about how Sirius would respond since it was McGonagall doing the accusing. Individually they both decided to trust in Sirius' claim that he would love them no matter what. Harley sent him an encouraging smile, mouthing '_Together' _as he passed.

He was beyond shocked to find that he wasn't in trouble at all. In fact, McGonagall wanted him to be on the Quidditch team as Seeker. She had merely taken him to meet the captain, Oliver Wood. He was relieved, sure, but one of her comments irked him. _"I want to hear you're training hard, Potter, or I may change my mind about punishing you."_

Sure she'd gone on to say that his father would be proud, but he was still bothered. Harley immediately understood when he relayed the story to her, Ron and Hermione later that afternoon.

"This is brilliant, Harry!" Ron exclaimed happily.

"Yeah, I thought for sure McGonagall was going to expel you. Aren't you pleased?" asked Hermione.

"Yeah, I'm excited to play and I'm definitely glad I wasn't expelled," responded Harry.

"Doesn't this also put your mind at ease about McGonagall a little? I mean, perhaps she can be trusted a bit?" Hermione asked tentatively.

"Not really," Harry responded.

"Why not? Mate, she could have gotten you kicked out of the school." Ron said slowly, like he was talking to a particularly dense child.

"Yeah, but she didn't really do it for Harry, did she?" Harley said. "She did it because she wants to win the Quidditch Cup. If the exact same situation occurred but Harry had failed to catch the Remembrall, Harry would have been punished, possibly expelled. She even threatened to punish him if he didn't do well!"

Harry nodded his head, "Exactly."

Ron looked at the couple incredulously. "Harry, what does it matter? You've got to be the youngest house player in – "

"A century. Yes, I know. And I am excited to play, but Ron, it matters because if I _hadn't_ wanted to play, I probably would have been either forced to or punished." Harry explained.

Ron was still sputtering. He clearly couldn't see why it _mattered_. Harry was going to be a first year Quidditch player! Hermione, ever logical, could see their argument quite plainly. "She's basically forced you to play, whether you wanted to or not. The fact that you do want to play is irrelevant. To McGonagall as well, it would seem."

"You're all barking," Ron said before trotting off to challenge Seamus to a game of chess.

Sirius was very excited about the news as well. He was very proud of his godson, indeed. "Minerva's right, Harry. James would have been so proud. I'll speak to Albus about providing you with a broom. You can't use those crappy school ones."

Harry smiled at his godfather. It was a bit bittersweet. Because of the team's practices he wouldn't be able to visit with Harley during the week as much. Harley was happy for him, though, despite her issues with McGonagall. Sure, he liked to watch her lessons, but dancing was mostly _her thing_. She was happy he would have something to be _his thing. _

Sirius came through spectacularly on his promise to speak to the Headmaster about a broom. A brand new Numbus 2000 arrived the very next day. Much to Malfoy's chagrin. He tried to goad Harry into a Midnight Wizard's Duel, but Harry just laughed in his face.

Time began to pass more routinely. Harry and Harley spent their time shuffling back and forth from Sirius' house and the school, Harley visiting more than Harry due to his Quidditch practices. They had their first game against Slytherin in November and Oliver continually increased practices as the weeks went on.

Ron and Hermione constantly bickered, and it was starting to grate on Harry and Harley's nerves. Hermione came across as bossy a lot of the time, and confessed to Harley that she'd never had any friends and simply didn't know how to read social cues sometimes. She didn't _mean_ to be bossy or a know-it-all. She was just so _desperate_ to prove herself, and wanted to help her friends succeed as well.

Ron always reacted poorly to Hermione. It got to a point where she couldn't say _anything_ without him taking offense in some manner. Harry didn't like the way Ron spoke to the girl. He had become nearly as good of friends with her as Harley. Harry tried to explain his objections to Ron's behavior, but the boy wouldn't listen. The more time passed, the more Ron seemed to remind Harry of Dudley, which wasn't a very pleasant observation. He was unsure how long his friendship with the boy could continue.

Halloween quickly arrived, and the entire school was very excited. The Great Hall was decorated festively and the children were looking forward to the annual feast. Harry and Harley, however, were somber. As were Sirius and Remus, because it was on Halloween exactly ten years prior that Lily and James Potter were murdered in their home.

Harry's mind kept drifting back to the dreams he'd had occasionally for as long as he could remember. His mother begging for his life. A cruel, high pitched laughter. Green light. Darkness. Pain. Loneliness. It was always the same. He never understood the dream until the day Hagrid and Harley turned up at the hut-on-the-rock a few months prior. Now he knew what he was seeing in the dream. His mother's death.

His heart would never be able to completely heal from the loss of the parents he couldn't remember. They had _died_ for him. Loved him enough to sacrifice their lives so he could live. There would never be a moment in his life where he didn't miss them. Didn't wish to see them again. Hug them. Hear their voices.

He didn't know how he would have survived the last six years without Harley. She'd been such a beacon of hope, joy and love in his life. How they ended up in the same primary school was beyond him. She and Sirius had been living in the London apartment. He'd left her with a muggle babysitter when he went to check on Peter that fateful Halloween night. He'd never returned. The girl had waited for him, but she was just a college student. She didn't know what to do with a seventeen month old baby. She'd panicked and anonymously dropped the girl off at a local London hospital. Somehow child services placed her in the Surrey orphanage.

It was all too much of a coincidence and Harry began to wonder if his parents had somehow orchestrated it from the beyond. Or maybe Harley's magic had influenced the social workers somehow. They'd known each other since Harry was born, and according to Sirius were quite close as small children. James and Sirius had even made bets on when they'd get together in the future, Sirius claiming that it better be _far_ in the future while James predicted early teens. "She's not going to be single until she's thirty, Sirius, no matter how desperately you wish it," James had said. Harry of course had made his move much sooner than even his father predicted. They were nine when he asked her to marry him, after all. Luckily Sirius seemed to be okay with their relationship. Granted it was very innocent, even if they were secretly engaged.

Halloween fell on a Thursday, so the pair would be in the castle. Harry was almost glad. He knew Sirius would be dealing with his own demons that night, and he didn't know if he could handle that on top of his own morose thoughts. He was just glad Harley stuck to his side all day, providing as much comfort as she could. He knew she was sad, too. The Potters were her godparents, her fiancé's parents and her father and Mooney's best friends. They took a piece of all four members of their little family with them the night they were murdered. A piece of each of their hearts that would only ever belong to Lily and James Potter.

The second to last class of the day was Charms. They were learning _Wingardium Leviosa_, the levitation charm. Harry and Harley had already been taught the charm, having learned it in a Fidelius protected room in Sirius' house. The room provided a safe haven if the house was ever attacked, as well as a place the two underage wizards could practice without alerting the Ministry. Their magic is hidden from the trace just as assuredly as their person is hidden from anyone outside the room.

Because of their prior knowledge the two sat beside Ron and Hermione, who had been paired together, much to Ron's displeasure, lost in their own thoughts. Flitwick knew the significance of the day and left the two children to their pensive thoughts. They were brought out of their musings by their friends.

"It's Wing-gar-dium Levi-o-sa, make the 'gar' nice and long," explained Hermione. She sounded more helpful than bossy to both Harry and Harley, and the pair smiled at their friend. The girl had really put an effort into speaking to people in a less abrupt manner.

Ron seemed sour about her advice, regardless of the manner in which she'd delivered it. "You do it, then, if you're so clever," he snarled.

She did. He scowled.

Flitwick was very excited. "Oh well, done! Everyone see here, Miss Granger's done it!" he squeaked, clapping. Ron was in a very bad mood by the end of the class.

Hermione, Harry and Harley were walking behind Ron and Seamus as they made their way to Herbology. As they entered the courtyard the trio heard Ron say, "Harry can't possibly be friends with her. The only reason he even puts up with her is because of some weird thing he has going on with Harley. The girl's a nightmare, honestly. I don't see what he likes about Harley, either, to be honest."

Harry sucked in a breath and narrowed his eyes at the redhead in front of him. Who the hell did he think he was, speaking for him that way? And how dare he say a single word against Harley? He looked to his girl to see her reaction. Her face was an angry red and she was staring at something just ahead. He followed her line of sight to see a tearful Hermione Granger bump into Seamus as she headed for the castle.

He then heard Seamus say, "I think she heard you."

"Who cares? She must have noticed she has no friends besides Harley. I mean, no one else even talks to her," Ron stated callously.

Harry grabbed his arm and swung the boy around. "Ron! Where do you get off? Hermione is _my_ friend because she's a nice and caring person. I've told you time and again that I don't appreciate the way you treat her. You just made her cry! And any friend of mine would know not to question my relationship with Harley. She's off limits."

"What are you saying, mate?" asked Ron, who was quickly turning an alarming shade of red.

"I'm saying that we aren't mates. You are constantly bullying others and you only have negative things to say about people. I've tried to be understanding. I don't expect my friends to be perfect, but I will not associate with a common schoolyard bully," Harry stated vehemently, pulling Harley away from his former friend.

Harry was upset. It wasn't like he had friends to spare, but in the end he couldn't be friends with someone who was so rude and downright cruel at times. He honestly felt ashamed that he'd overlooked it so long in his desire to have a male friend. Ron always seemed to know exactly what needed to be said in order to cut the deepest. He suspected this came from the inferiority complex he gained by having five talented older brothers. He wanted to be as successful as them, but whenever they tried to get him to join in their studying he'd make a snide comment and run off to play chess or exploding snap with one of the other boys. It seems instead of working toward his own betterment he chooses to bring others down to his level through scathing comments and put downs.

He shook his head woefully. This was the last thing he needed to deal with on the anniversary of his parents' death. The only thing keeping him sane was the small girl firmly attached to his side. Honestly, all these people make such a big deal about him being 'The-Boy-Who-Lived', but no one seems to give a damn that his _parents_ were _murdered_. Other than Harley, no one had even acknowledged that a decade ago today two heroes in the war against Voldemort were brutally slain in their own home. Not even Sirius' precious McGonagall.

Harry refused to let go of Harley's hand throughout the entire Herbology lesson. They ended up working as one person, seeing as how they only had two available hands between them. Ron joined Seamus and Dean on the other side of the greenhouse, and Hermione didn't show up. Both children were worried about their friend as they worked through their lesson. Luckily, Neville had joined their group and was extremely helpful in their repotting efforts.

After the class the pair went off in search of Hermione. They needed her to know they were her friend because they _like_ her, not because they _pity_ her. They were walking passed the Great Hall when they heard Parvati Patil tell Lavender Brown that Hermione had been in the girl's bathroom all afternoon, crying.

Harry and Harley quickly made their way to the bathroom after hearing Lavender's proclamation. Sure enough, they found their friend locked in a stall, audibly sniffling. Harry didn't care that it was a girl's bathroom. His friend needed him.

"Hermione," Harley said tentatively. "Please come out."

"No. Just go away. I want to be alone," she responded brokenly.

"Hermione, you can't listen to Ron. He's a git. I've told him I don't want to be his friend anymore. Please believe me when I say that we are your friends," Harry said sincerely.

"You're just saying that because you _pity_ me," Hermione argued.

"Oh come on, Hermione," Harley said snappily. "How can you believe what Ron says but not us? I for one am rather offended. I don't think I've ever given you a reason to treat me this way." She was getting annoyed. This day was supposed to be about Harry. He didn't need all this drama.

"I'm sorry, I just really need some time to myself. Please just go to the feast," she said, crying anew.

Harley huffed, but Harry responded before she could reprimand the distraught girl any further. "No, Hermione. We weren't planning to go to the feast anyway. Just wanted some quiet time tonight. We'll just sit here with you."

Harry tugged Harley down to the floor with him, tucking her tightly into his side with his arm wrapped around her. She snuggled into him, resting her head on his shoulder while he rested his head on hers.  
>The room was silent for a long while, save Hermione's sniffles.<p>

Suddenly she spoke in a very small voice. "I'm sorry. I've never had friends before. Everyone back home told me I was just an ugly bookworm with frizzy hair and buck teeth; that no one would ever want to be friends with the likes of me. The kids were….cruel. I had so hoped it would be different here, but most people saw me in exactly the same light as the kids I've known my whole life. Everyone but you two. I guess Ron's words just struck the insecurity I was already feeling," she admitted sadly.

Harry sighed. "It's okay, Hermione. We had to deal with our own bullies before we came here, too. We only had each other growing up. No one else wanted to be friends with us, either because we were orphans or because my cousin, Dudley, bullied everyone into shunning us."

"Really?" she asked, opening her stall door. She then made her way to the wall across from them and slid to the ground.

"Yes," affirmed Harley. "Hermione, we don't expect you to be exactly like us, agree with us on everything, or be some perfect automaton. You're human. Being friends with someone is about accepting the whole person, warts and all. From what we've seen of you, you're loyal, dedicated, kind, generous and hard-working. All of those qualities draw us to you and make use value you as a friend. Can you be bossy sometimes? Sure. But we know it comes from a good place. You're trying to help, but people misconstrue it because of their own insecurities sometimes."

Harry nodded his agreement. "Exactly. They're also intimidated by your intelligence. Lord knows you're smarter than the pair of us. We're comfortable with our own abilities, though, and we work hard to do well and learn as much as we can. Others don't, so they have no business getting upset with you for excelling. And I'm not perfect, either. I won't say that about Harley, as I think she's perfection personified," he said, smiling down at his girlfriend.

She smiled and pecked his lips. "You flatter me, Mr. Potter. But I know I'm not perfect, either. I'm suspicious and wary. I don't open myself up easily to others and shrink back to Harry whenever I'm upset, not letting others in. In fact, I snapped at you earlier for doing the same thing. Whereas I shrink back to Harry, you shrank back into yourself because it's what you've always known. I'm sorry for being short with you. Forgive me?"

Hermione smiled, feeling a large piece of her insecurity melt away. She had true friends. Intelligent friends who actually cared about her and didn't judge her. She felt it would be much easier to face people who weren't so accepting, knowing she had Harry and Harley to turn to. "Of course. What are friends for?"

Harry and Harley both smiled at her response. "Thanks, Hermione."

The girl looked down shyly. "No, thank you. Now, why were you two planning on skipping the feast? You have both been lost in your own world today."

The pair shifted uncomfortably and Harley looked to Harry. It was his story to tell, so he'd be the one to decide what to disclose. In light of their discussion on friendships, he decided to tell Hermione what was on their minds. "Well, it's just that today is the tenth anniversary of my parents' murder. Don't really feel like celebrating."

Hermione's face was horrified. "Oh no! I'm so sorry, Harry! Here I've been feeling sorry for myself all afternoon because Ronald Weasley said something unpleasant and you've had to comfort me while you've got much more important things on your mind!"

Harry actually chuckled. "It's alright Hermione. What are friends for, after all? It's actually helped to take my mind off things."

Before Hermione could respond the trio's attention was drawn to a loud stomping approaching their location, combined with a foul smell. Three pairs of eyes widened, horrified, when a fully grown mountain troll entered the bathroom and took notice of the three children immediately.

Harry and Harley sprung to their feet quickly, pulling a frozen Hermione with them. The frightened girl was pulled out of her stupor when she realized she almost got Harley killed because of her inability to move. She then mimicked her two friends' movements as they deftly avoided the troll's club. She was quite surprised by the grace in which they moved dodged the troll's assaults.

Thinking quickly, the girl brandished her wand with a swish and flick just as the troll raised his club above his head. "_Wingardium Leviosa!" _she shouted. The troll looked up dumbly as Hermione dropped the spell and let the club crash into the troll's skull with a loud crack. The large beast promptly fell face first into the floor, surrounded by debris from the destroyed bathroom.

The shocked trio stared at the troll for a few seconds. "That. Was. _Brilliant_. Hermione, you're my new hero." Harley stated seriously.

"Do you…Do you think it's dead?" she asked, slightly horrified by what she'd done, but more than a little pleased by Harley's words.

Harry shook his head, both to shake off his stupor and answer Hermione's question. "I don't think so, but I don't want to wait around to find out. Let's get the hell out of here."

Harley and Hermione agreed wholeheartedly, and began to make their way through the destroyed bathroom. They froze in place when, before they could reach the door, Professors McGonagall, Snape and Quirrell came crashing through the door. Quirrell took one look at the troll and nearly passed out from the shock. Honestly. He's the DADA professor?

Snape approached the troll, bending over it to examine its state. Professor McGonagall was looking at the trio. They had never seen her look so angry. Her lips were in a thin white line. "What on earth were you thinking of?" she said with cold fury in her voice. Harry and Harley shared a glance. What the hell was this woman's problem, exactly? It's not like they didn't send the bloody troll an invitation to tea in the girl's bathroom. "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?"

Snape was glaring at Harry and Harley, but they refused to look at the man. He wasn't even supposed to be near them, so they decided to continue on pretending he doesn't exist. Harley responded for the group. "We didn't realize it was past curfew, Professor," she said, knowing it _wasn't_, in fact, past curfew.

McGonagall's face began turning red in her anger, her lips inexplicably thinning even further. "You were told to go to your dormitories when the troll was discovered!" she stated angrily.

Both Harry and Harley were about to respond when Hermione broke in. "Please, Professor McGonagall – they were looking for me."

"Miss Granger!"

"I went looking for the troll because I – I thought I could deal with it on my own – you know, because I've read about them."

Both Harry and Harley looked to Hermione in a mixture of shock and anger. Shock because Hermione was lying to a teacher and anger because she shouldn't have to. They'd done _nothing_ wrong. "If they hadn't found me, I'd be dead now. They didn't have time to come and fetch anyone. It was about to finish me off when they arrived."

Harley was having none of this self-sacrificial bullshit. "Hermione, that's not true and you know it. I appreciate you trying to take any of the Professors ire off us, but we've done nothing wrong. Unless, of course, the Professor considers surviving a troll attack to be a punishable offense."

Hermione nodded miserably. She knew they hadn't done anything wrong, but she wanted to be able to protect her friends. It was something she'd never had the opportunity to do before, since she'd never actually _had_ friends to protect.

McGonagall looked like her head would explode. "Do not cheek me, Miss Black! You were supposed to go directly from the Great Hall to your dormitories. There wasn't to be any pit stops!"

"We weren't in the Great Hall, Professor," Harley replied unflinchingly. She wasn't the least bit intimidated by the Scottish woman in front of her.

"And why not?" she asked, her anger in danger of boiling over.

Harley looked to Harry. She wouldn't tell them the reason without his permission, no matter how harsh the punishment. Harry smiled lovingly at his girlfriend. Even though they were in risk of severe punishment, if not expulsion, she wasn't willing to betray his confidence. He would tell the woman why they'd avoided a celebration. Sirius seemed to think the woman was great friends with his parents, but he couldn't see it from where he stood. Shouldn't the woman know why he wouldn't feel like celebrating? He'd just have to remind her of her dead so-called friends, then.

"Professor," he began, eyes hard. "Today is October 31st. You may have forgotten what happened on this day ten years ago, but I have not. Forgive me if I didn't feel like celebrating the anniversary of my parents' murder." He eyed the woman unapologetically as she practically flinched in pain before the anger drained from her countenance.

When he saw the fight leave her eyes, he continued unrelentingly. "Hermione was having a difficult day and didn't feel like celebrating, either. We found her here and decided to stay in an attempt to avoid everyone else. We did not know that a troll had been loosed in the castle, nor that we were supposed to be retreating to our dormitory. Don't you have some kind of loud speaker here so _all_ students can receive important announcements? We could have _died_ just because all the adults in the castle simply assumed every student was in the Great Hall. If there is a guilty part here, it isn't us. We won't apologize for defending ourselves, and you should be thanking Hermione, not reprimanding her. She, a first year student, knocked the troll out and saved all our lives."

Harley looked at Harry in awe. That was amazing and made her stomach do little excited flips. She didn't really know what to make of her reaction. She just knew that she liked it.

Hermione seemed to get over her fear and was nodding her head in agreement. Harry was absolutely right. They hadn't done anything wrong. Why should they apologize or face punishment? She also felt a bubble of pride swell up inside her belly. She had saved her friends! They had stood up for her and refused to let her take the blame for something that wasn't her fault. It was definitely nice to have friends.

Snape, however, was not impressed by Harry's stance. At first he'd been startled by the boy's proclamation that today was the tenth anniversary of Lily's death. He'd felt the familiar wave of guilt crash through him at the thought before it was replaced by the anger Potter provoked with his impudence. He desperately wanted to put the little brat in his place, but was unable. Black would undoubtedly press harassment charges if he stepped over the insufferable little ingrates' Head of House to give them the harsh reprimand and punishment they deserved. He was forced to swallow back every scathing insult eager to be released and stormed from the bathroom without waiting for Minerva's reply.

For her part, McGonagall was horrified. The three brightest first years the school had seen in quite some time had just managed to not only knock out a fully grown mountain troll, but they'd also managed to completely shame her. How could she have overlooked the fact that Lily and James had been murdered exactly one decade prior? She hadn't even given Harry's feelings a second thought today. Of course he wouldn't want to celebrate. Of course he'd want quiet time away from all the happy faces. She'd not only failed the children, but she'd failed her friends, too. Lily and James. Merlin, she missed them. And now their child and goddaughter were looking at her like she was dirt on the bottom of their shoes. She was loath to admit that they had every right to feel that way.

"I'm sorry," she finally choked out. "I should have considered the implications of this day, Mr. Potter. Ten points to Gryffindor for taking up for your friend, Miss Black, and twenty points for knocking out the troll, Miss Granger. You may go to your dormitories now."

The three children breezed past their professor. Harry and Harley both felt tired. They wanted the day to be over. They were, however, pleased with Hermione's reactions. She seemed to have made some progress in her naiveté and self-confidence issues. For her part, Hermione was feeling many things. She felt happy about having such good friends. Proud for being able to stop the troll and earning points for their house. And most importantly, more and more disillusioned about her professors and the school in general. She was beginning to see, quite plainly, that Hogwarts and her professors in general weren't as perfect as she thought they were.

**A/N:**

**First let me thank my lovely reviewers!**

**fire1, AcaciaRoseMasen, nokeyunderscore, Ariauna, amongthestarsx, Dark Void Princess 21, Dracoisalooker76, LightningStar 0.o, jafr86, darkplayer35, Kami no Kage, Naginator, StPhoenix, and Angel JJK**

**Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review. Also Dark Void Princess 21 mentioned that Harley and Draco are second cousins. I'm not exactly sure about the structure of families in other cultures, as where I'm from they would be third cousins while Harley and Narcissa would be second cousins. Maybe I'm just a hick, but we don't use all that "first cousin once removed" stuff. We are straight up first, second, third, etc… Anyway, I looked it up, and in England, they would in fact be second cousins, so I changed it. Thank you for pointing that out!**

**Now, on to the chapter. I am a bit frightened about the reviews, actually. I've included my reasons for severing Ron's friendship with Harry at the bottom of this epically long A/N. If you have no issues with his ousting, feel free to ignore. If you're planning on flaming me for it, please read my rationalization before you do so. I'm quite sensitive.**

**Alright, now that I've created a new trio, I want to hear your suggestions. Should we give Harry another male friend? I almost want it to be someone from another house (but as Harry says, Not Slytherin), and someone who could be an eventual romantic interest for Hermione. I've been toying with the idea of Cedric. I know he's two years older than her, but their romantic relationship wouldn't start until later anyway. I've also considered having the Weasley twins fill Ron's spot. I've always liked them. One of them could end up with Hermione. Or not. I'm not terribly concerned with her love life. It's not going to matter in the end, really, what with the time travel aspect. Just something to weave in the story until we get there, and it would also give Harry a relationship with the Weasley family. Let me know your thoughts and suggestions. It's not going to be a Slytherin, so if there are any Dramione fans out there, just no.**

**I also want to get your opinion on the Philosopher's Stone issue. I've been toying with the idea of sending them down there. They won't handle the tasks the same way as canon, but they'd still end up facing Quirrellmort. I stopped this chapter here in order to get your opinion on this issue. I could also have them remain oblivious. I keep going back and forth back and forth. I need some help! Let me know what you think!**

**Le sigh. On to Ron:**

**Ron is a very polarizing character in the fandom. Some people loath him and some people love him. I thought long and hard about what to do with his character. It's what took this chapter so long to finish. I just couldn't see my Harry staying friends with him in the end. Honestly, he's not very pleasant a lot of the time. Now, as I said in the chapter, friends accept each other for who they are. No one is perfect, and with Harry and Harley's background they don't expect that at all. It's why they're so patient with Hermione's neurotic tendencies. She's never malicious. Ron is. He is really cruel sometimes. Granted, I don't think it comes from a truly hateful place, more from his own insecurities, but it doesn't lessen the impact his actions have on the people who receive the verbal abuse. Namely Hermione. How those two ended up together is beyond me. **

**Now, at first I tried to make him see the error of his ways, but it just seemed incredibly unrealistic. He hasn't had the drastic changes to his pre-Hogwarts years that Harry had. He's still the same person canon Harry met on the train. To have an immature, eleven year old Ronald Weasley see how abysmal his behavior truly is would be more fiction than even the Harry Potter world is capable of supporting. I mean, he's not even able to see it during the beginning of his fourth year. Harry explained that he had no use for eternal glory, and anyone who truly knew Harry would understand that. Yet Ron still couldn't get past his own jealousy in order to support his supposed best mate.**

**Now, I'm not going to be bashing him. He just won't be a major character. If you can't continue to read the story because he's not in it, then we'll have to part ways here. I'd like to thank you for giving the story a shot and reading up to this point. I hope it's been enjoyable and please don't leave a nasty review on your way out. Everyone has different tastes, after all. :)**


End file.
